Day 1 - What will the Frogs do?

OK. GAME ON! Today is the day we've all been waiting for. It's time to let those butterflies in our stomaches loose, sit back and enjoy the greatest sporting spectacle this planet has to offer! The World Cup is finally here!

Earlier in the week, Bafana Bafana paraded through the streets of Sandton in a kind of pre-ceremonial opening of the World Cup and the streets came alive with an ocean of colour and a sea of noise in response. If ever there was a way to announce the commencement of the competition, this was it! It's time for the Rainbow nation to give to world what we've all been painfully waiting for for 4 years!

Today sees the 'official' ceremony, kick-start the world cup into action at about 2pm local time. But big names like R Kelly, Shakira, Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys and over 1500 others have already started struttin their stuff on the numerous stages around the country. Nelson Mandela, President Jacob Zuma and Archbishop Desmond Tutu will also be in attendance later today and it's estimated that over 200 countries world-wide will be watching the games with viewers estimated to be in the hundreds of MILLIONS! You gotta love it ;)

Finally, the main attraction for the day will see the four Group A teams battle it out for the first goals and points of the tournament. In Game 1 the Bafana Bafana Boys will be taking on the dangerous Mexicans. The South Africans have been on an incredible run of late and have been undefeated in their last 12 matches stretching back to 2009 but the Mexican's won't be too concerned about that record. Apart from two respectable, recent defeats to The Netherlands and England at Wembley, they too haven't been beaten since 2009. Either way, it's the beginning of the World Cup for goodness sake. Both teams will be at it for sure!!!! GAME ON!

The other Group A game will see Uruguay take on the French. The South American's are slight under-dogs for this one but will fancy their chances with world class, Athletico Madrid's striker Diego Forlán and young super-talent Luis Suárez of Ajax forming a very dangerous partnership up front. Their training camp has been very relaxed with only Forlán causing a little concern over a slight thigh strain which has now healed.

…*Ahem*…!!! The Frogs on the other hand have been anything but relaxed down in South Africa so far. You'd think it strange taking into account that they're staying in the most luxurious and expensive 5 star resort of them all. By contrast, Spain are camped up in a University complex and the Americans are pitched up on a farm somewhere!

But the scandals off the pitch have been a constant and you have to wonder if all this will take it's toll on the squad. After narrowly qualifying for the competition in the most controversial of circumstances - when Henry handled the ball to keep it in play against the Irish and set up the winner for the team - the French have taken it upon themselves to make things even harder.

Back in France, general morale and support couldn't be lower. Nobody there even minimally believes the team can produce anything and several French chain stores and retailers have even bet against a French victory by promising to reimburse TVs and other electronic goods if France wins!

In addition, it's been said that some of their main stars won't even pass the ball to other colleagues on the pitch. There's been much talk of unrest with several players from different ethnic background not getting along with each other. There is particular dislike, all round, of the manager Raymond Domenech and to make matters worse, striker Benzema and midfielders Govou and Franck Ribéry may even face prison sentences when they get home for allegedly having had sex with an underage prostitute early in the year!

Hmm... So? In regards to the French... what's new, eh?

Still, on the pitch they should still be a force to be reckoned with. 4 years ago in Germany, nobody gave them much of a chance either and they only just lost it to the Italians in the final after Zidane decided to assault one of the other players anyway ;)

Ahhhh, good ol Frogs! Never fail to bring us drama ;) Bring it OOOOOON!