SEPTEMBER:

All eyes turned to golf in September, as the European's resumed their feud with the USA team in the Ryder Cup at the Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky. The Americans were desperate to win the back the trophy and pre-tournament hype included US captain Paul Azinger asking the pro-American crowds to "cheer missed putts"...

The USA team had lost three Ryder Cup tournaments on the trot, but in 2008 they thrashed the Europeans 16.5 to 11.5 and, for the first time since 1979, had the lead after every session of play.

While the Ryder Cup stole most of the headlines, September also marked the start of the Champions League pool stages as defending champions Manchester United began their quest to retain the title they had won earlier in the year.

OCTOBER:

After a slight lull in the sporting world following the closing of the Olympics in Beijing, October proved an exciting month, particularly on the domestic front.

After a less-than successful Tri-Nations, the Currie Cup garnered plenty of interest as the Springboks returned to their respective provinces for the final run-in. There was plenty of drama — on and off the field — as the big five unions tried to squeeze into four semifinal spots. In the end Western Province fell short of the play-offs with poor play and a muddy field in Boland contributing factors for their demise...

The semifinals contested between the Sharks and the Lions in Durban, and the Bulls and Cheetahs in Pretoria provided plenty of excitement, but the resultant Final in Durban between the Sharks and Bulls was what most people had expected... and wanted.

Questions over the Sharks ability to win when it counts provided the build-up, while memories of the 2007 Super 14 Final between the same two teams was still fresh in the minds of all. But in the end the Sharks ended a 12-year drought in the Currie Cup, dispatching the Bulls 14-9.

Elsewhere in sport, the much-hyped series between cricketing giants India and Australia was well under way with the Indians leading the four-match Test series 1-0 after three Tests. Would they be able to seal the deal? The answer would come in November in the final Test.

And while the Australians were facing a series loss the Proteas were beginning their preparations for their tour of Oz in Decmber with an ODI series against fellow Africans, Kenya.

NOVEMBER:

November proved to be a bumper month for rugby — especially for South African fans!

And unbeaten tour of the United Kingdom — the first time since 1997 — was capped off with a record win over the Poms at Twickenham and the Boks managed to end the year on a positive note.

The All Blacks, meanwhile, secured yet another Grand Slam up north as they rampaged over all that stood against them. Coach Graham Henry silenced his critics back home, while the Kiwis walked off with the major gongs at the IRB Awards as well.

The South Africans Sevens side then took some inspiration from the Boks and sealed the Dubai Sevens crown and took an early lead in the IRB World Sevens Series to give SA rugby fans plenty to smile about.

Everything was set up for a thrilling finale to the Formula One season when the final race of the season took place at Brazil's Interlagos racetrack. Local favourite Felipe Massa secured the victory he needed to keep his title hopes alive, but a during a dramatic final lap Lewis Hamilton moved up to fifth place, a position good enough to hand the young Briton the title. Ferrari did win the consolation prize that is the Constructors Championship, however.

There was much rejoicing in India as the hosts sealed a 2-0 series win over the Australians and that joy soon spread to South Africa, who after dismantling Bangladesh in a Test series in SA, were now looking ahead to their tour of Australia with plenty of confidence.

The ATP and WTA tennis seasons also came to an end in November as the year-end events in Shanghai and Dubai were won by Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams respectively. It was the first time for both players and after a long, gruelling 2008 season, the tennis star of the world must have been looking forward to putting their feet up for a couple of weeks...

DECEMBER:

As the year moved into its final month there was more joy for local rugby fans as the Sevens side followed up their win in Dubai with a win in George. It was the first time that they had managed do so in the history of the series, and they did it in style — beating New Zealand in a riveting final.

Ajax Cape Town won the Telkom Knockout and ensured a big pay-day for the club, while in the English Premiership Paul Ince was sacked as Blackburn boss and Roy Keane quit as Sunderland's.

In golf, Henrik Stenson won the Nedbank Challenge, while local hero Richard Sterne won the Alfred Dunhill Championship and then immediately followed it up with the South African Open title.

But the most magical moment of December, if not the year, was when captain Graeme Smith led the Proteas to their first-ever series win in Australia at the MCG in Melbourne — breaking a hoodoo that has hung over the South Africans for decades.

The South African cricket team has suffered so much at the hands of the Aussies over the years, and after decades of heartache, the series victory on the back of quite brilliant performances in Perth, and then in Melbourne, was sweet indeed.

The Proteas will head into the final Test in Sydney with the opportunity to take over the number one ranking — so it will be all to play for in January 2009. But what a way to end a massive sporting year!

  • Did we forget anything? Leave a comment below!


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