By the time you read this, Rugby-Talk had already glided seemlessly past 10 MILLION PAGE IMPRESSIONS (10 Million CLICKS to open or refresh the different Articles or Pages of Rugby-Talk).

For a website which started as a little discussion website between friends, about rugby and as a break-away movement from another rugby website which had resorted to racism, political immaturity, trolling, endless insults and general abuse, it’s not shabby at all, would’nt you say!!

Rugby-Talk is, according to my reconing now the prime Rugby discussion forum in the world, carrying impressive rugby news and information and has become the benchmark for rugby blogging in the known universe and has become the best rugby community on the Internet.

At around 21:38 SA Time on Sunday 18 May 2014, we went over the magic 10 Million mark.

Let me give you some facts and figures to ponder, about Rugby-Talk:

• In excess of 420 000 Page Impressions a month, highest so far was in March 2014 (451 296 Page Impressions)
• Over 50 000 Individual Visits per month, highest so far was in March 2014 (61 490 Visits)
• 9 318 Rugby and related Articles published
• 206 Additional Web Pages
• 330 986 Comments by subscribers
• Media Accreditation with the IRB, SARU, NZRU, ARU, RFU, FRU, WRU, IRU, SRU, all 14 SA Rugby Unions, all 16 Super Rugby Franchises and various UK & European Clubs and bodies
• Busiest days on Rugby-Talk: Saturdays, Fridays, Thursdays & Mondays
• We have a global viewer and contributor footprint, with South Africa providing the biggest following, followed by the UK, Europe, North America (USA & Canada), Australia, New Zealand and activity in every country on the globe, even on remote islands in the Pacific Ocean. We are read in Japan, China, Korea, the old Russian Federation States, the UAE, Mongolia… well all over really
• Rugby-Talk is read and indexed by all the major Search Engines, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, MSN, Alexa, Ananzi and countless others
• Viewed on Platforms with web browsers ranging from Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, Android Browser, Blackberry, iBrowse and wherever else the internet can be accesed from
• Rugby-Talk started on 13 August 2009 and is therefore just shy of 5 years old at this juncture

The little hobby has grown into a monster, the group of friends has grown into a community.

Friends gather on Rugby-Talk to discuss and celebrate rugby, new friendhips are made, news is shared and the debate is always respectful.

No wonder that Rugby-Talk has become known as “The Friendly Rugby Website and Discussion Forum”.

When I initiated Rugby-Talk, I never thought it would go so far and become what it has become. I am a proud “Daddy” of the little child which has grown into this powerful individual.

At a juncture like this, one reaches back to those one has to thank for their contributions and the help along the way… well I am quite speechless actually, thankful and happy does not aptly describe the feeling. So let me just thank each and every reader, contributor, author and friend, from the bottom of my heart.

Let me continue by thanking my family, specially my wife Annelie – I tend to call her Handbriekie from time to time, because someone has to put the brakes on in order to reign me in at times otherwise I might explode with the exuberance of life.

Also a special word of thanks to BGB Investments (Pty) Ltd trading as Big Bang Events & Marketing Solutions, the marketing company who has now also started handling the Commercial Elements of Rugby-Talk, with Directors Annelie Geldenhuys, Angelique Booysen, Leoni Bekker and Attie Bekker…. I see a bright and lucrative future together and look forward to implimenting the plans now formulated and to put them into action.

All in all, it makes the money I have spent from my personal pockets, to host, maintain and develop Rugby-Talk an absolute privilige and a pleasure.

As you know, Rugby-Talk has absorbed countless hours of mine, to get it where it is and where it will be going, so I consider myself blessed with the good health and fortune I have had over the years, to be able to continue with Rugby-Talk. It has not all been plain sailing, sacrifices have had to be made, priorities re-arranged, friendships re-eveluated, time-management re-routed and the most difficult part has maybe been to act as “Policeman on the job” to keep trolls and riff-raff out and to set the tone for the friendly rugby community.

Luckily I have very, very few nasty issues to contend with, very few occasions where I have to show someone the door… and a heap of friends who watch out for Rugby-Talk with me!

Rugby-Talk continues to grow, every month and will continue to prosper, even in this difficult economic climate where Media Houses are often hit hardest, all of it due to the solid foundations laid, the passion involved and the support we receive.

The Milestone Counter is right at the bottom of each and every Rugby-Talk Page!

Rugby-Talk has also been a wonderful impliment and school master in making me a better person, a more knowlegeable rugby man, better pogrammer and to hone some IT skills I had wanted to do for a long time. I have indeed learnt a lot and will continue to do so.

Today I am proud to be a Rugby-Talker!

Regards,

Rudi Geldenhuys

(Webmaster grootblousmile)