While the Football World Cup in June/July will garner the most attention this year, there is less than three weeks to go before the 2010 Super 14 kicks off, and the southern hemisphere showpiece is set to be the most competitive in years.

The 2009 Super 14 was not the most enjoyable season. Yes, the Bulls won and so began a fantastic year for South African rugby, but the bulk of the season seemed to drag on a bit with most South African fans outside of Pretoria not having much to crow about.

The Sharks began well enough only to go off the boil and ultimately miss out; the Stormers failed to live up to their pre-season expectations; and the less said about the Lions and Cheetahs, the better.

This year, however, I have a feeling that the South African challenge will be far stronger.

A giant awakening in the Cape?

The Bulls will remember how their last title defence went and will be the better for it. They have lost Bryan Habana, but you would be foolish to think that the defending champions relied solely on the Springbok winger to win the title last year. If anything, it is the opposite.

The Bulls built their campaign on the back of halfbacks Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn, using their kicking strengths to put the opposition on the back foot, before unleashing their backline as they did in the Final against the Chiefs.

You get the feeling that these are the beginnings of a dynasty in Pretoria and much of that will depend on Steyn and Du Preez, as well as the lock pairing of Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha, and the likes of Pierre Spies and Dewald Potgieter ? the latter both enjoying big seasons in '09.

The Sharks will still have a say in 2010, but they seem to be on the slide at the moment. They would not have been pleased with how they went off the boil in the Super 14 last year, and while their form in the Currie Cup was significantly more impressive, their shock loss to the Cheetahs would not have gone down well.

My money, meanwhile, will be on the Stormers cracking the play-offs this season with some big-name players ? Bryan Habana and Jaque Fourie ? adding some star quality to a side that is beginning to show some fantastic potential.

Keep an eye on Juan de Jongh, Joe Pietersen, Francois Louw, Wicus Blaauw and Dewaldt Duvenhage this year because a lot will be expected from them. De Jongh partnering Fourie in the midfield is a pairing I cannot wait to see.

Add a number of seasoned veterans to the mix ? Schalk Burger, Tiaan Liebenberg, Peter Grant and Enrico Januarie ? and it looks like a giant may finally be ready to wake up.

Lions, Cheetahs making up the numbers

As much as I would like to laud the Lions and Cheetahs as the surprise packages this season, it would be foolish to do so? The fact is that neither team has the quality to do anything other than pull off one or two surprise victories.

The Lions are leaking all their quality players to other unions, while the administration attempts to right a sinking ship. New coach Dick Muir was a solid acquisition for the Joburg-based franchise, but the former Sharks boss is going to be up against it this season.

The Cheetahs, meanwhile, do have some quality players in Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow, Lionel Mapoe and Ashley Johnson, but as in past seasons, they do not have the depth to launch a sustained challenge.

Regardless of who leads the way for South Africa, however, the challengers from Australasia will be stronger than ever.

Expect the Brumbies ? boosted by some big-name signings of their own ? the always-dangerous Hurricanes, the Crusaders and the Waratahs to all have their say in a tournament that is destined to live up to its billing in 2010.

Sure, the Super 14 ? and pretty much everything else ? will live in the shadow of the World Cup this year, but that doesn?t mean we shouldn?t be excited.