28 June - Durban - Netherlands vs Slovakia

10 Out of 10 in Durban



At about 3.15pm on Monday we walked into Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, our 10th World Cup stadium out of 10. Not sure if it was the lack of sleep, the Budweiser or the actual achievement.....but I felt pretty emotional. Only as we sat down did it occur to me that this had been a bit of an epic trip. 6 500 km's of driving in total and all 10 magnificent South African 2010 venues.

Durban's stadium is indeed a magnificent piece of architecture and genuine stand-out but, sorry Durban, here's the verdict; Cape Town is aesthetically the most beautiful stadium of the lot. Perfectly contained and stretching high into the rafters it ensures that the action commands the attention of every one of the 68 000 people watching. Durban's design is truly unique but it just doesn't seem as big as Cape Town from the inside. Also, the open end is a little bit distracting.

The location of Moses Mabhida right by the sea is magnificent. Watching the thousands of Dutch supporters make their walk to the ground along the beachfront was a real highlight.

Just like the Stormers in Cape Town, the sooner the Sharks rugby team move to the new stadium, the better. It's surely just a matter of time.