There is a Sanzar (the alliance between the Rugby Unions of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia) meeting currently under way where the delegates have been given a licence to dream.

In week three of the Super 12 five out the six matches were decided by a converted try or less – that hasn’t happened before since the competition began in 1996. In such circumstances one team (generally the one that lost) will claim to have endured the rough end of the pineapple from the match official(s).

Talk about your highs and lows! The Cats and the Sharks plumb the depths against the Brumbies and Waratahs, the Stormers lose the first half hour 22-0 against the Highlanders and win the next 50 minutes 46-3, then the Bulls steamroller the Hurricanes at Loftus. Just another giddy weekend in the Super 12.

It is no bad thing that the opening round of the Super 12 in this country has been overshadowed by the dispute between the South African Rugby Players Association and the South African Rugby Football Union. It enables us to ignore the fact that we actually don’t play the game to any great standard in this country any more.

With a new Springbok coach, a restructured Currie Cup and more, there is a touch of keen anticipation to the beginning of the new rugby season this week, for the 2004 Super 12 is the last competition prior to the reinvention of South African rugby. It could also be the last Super 12, but that’s another story.

On Wednesday, Brian van Rooyen, president of the South African Rugby Football Union, announced a complete restructuring of the professional game while entrenching the power of amateur administrators. Let it never be said that South African rugby does not know how to turn hard times into a crisis.

A Test on the Highveld is normally a sure sign of a break in the weather, and drought-stricken farmers in the north were celebrating the rain that almost saved the West Indies in Centurion at the beginning of the week. Joy should be unconfined, then, at the return to Johannesburg of the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

New South African Rugby Football Union president Brian van Rooyen has some fractious times ahead, but it will no doubt help his peace of mind to be able to actually watch some rugby when he arrives at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday for the second leg of the IRB International Sevens series.

Brian van Rooyen’s election as Sarfu president has been widely seen as a good thing and he may indeed be exactly what our rugby needs, but what if we’re wrong again? Has anyone considered the fact that the same system that ”chose” Silas Nkanunu has chosen Van Rooyen?

The annual task of picking a winner from the field of invitees to the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City has been complicated this time around by the Presidents Cup. After a draining time at the Presidents Cup, Ernie Els must pick himself up to defend his Nedbank Challenge title.