Springbok wing Bryan Habana is South Africa’s favourite sports star, beating the likes of Makhaya Ntini, Teko Modise, Graeme Smith and Morné Steyn to the number one spot in 2009.

And rugby continues to outpace both soccer and cricket in terms of growing interest for a fifth year running.

South Africans voted the Bok flyer their most popular sports star in the 21st BMI Adult Sporttrack report, the only totally representative study conducted among adult South Africans and containing analyses across over 40 sports codes.

“The 2009 BMI Adult Sporttrack report was compiled from a nationally representative sample of over 2000 interviews, and it’s recognised as the major source for information in this industry,” said Johan Grobler, Director of BMI.

While Habana enjoyed the majority support, 2009 PSL Footballer of the Year Modise gave him a strong run for first place.

The Orlando Pirates star, who was recently appointed as McDonald’s ambassador for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, jumped from fifth spot in 2008 to second this year.

Proteas captain Smith moved up the rankings from 13th to seventh, but former number one Ntini is still the country’s most admired cricketer, slotting in at number five.

The country’s number one golfer, Ernie Els, dropped off the list last year, but made a remarkable comeback despite a winless season. The Big Easy took up the No.11 slot to leapfrog Springbok kicking machine Steyn.

Steyn, who was voted SA Rugby’s Players’ Player of the Year, cracked the top 20 for the first time, coming in at No.16.

Overall, the top 20 includes nine football players, four cricketers, two swimmers and one golfer and athlete each.

Meanwhile, soccer remains South Africa’s favourite sport, but athletics made a strong move as the country’s fourth most popular sport, according to the BMI report.

Soccer increased its advantage over the other two major codes – rugby and cricket – by a further nearly half-a-million people and holds firm as the No.1 sport in the country. Interest in soccer has no doubt been helped along by this year’s Confederations Cup and the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Yet despite soccer’s large following, rugby continues to outpace both soccer and cricket in terms of growing interest for a fifth year running.

To the good of cricket it has to be said that they managed to maintain their second place for another year!