Icons Cup call-up a surprise for Jimmy Tau

Tau, who is now a broadcaster, retired from football in 2013 and has since picked up golf as a newfound passion. He joins a cohort of retired legends from various sporting codes who will come together for the three-day spectacle.

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, Tau says it is an honour to be selected to represent the country once again.

"Look, firstly I am very honored and privileged to have been selected; it's quite a huge honor for me because it came as a surprise, I must say. And you can imagine the shockwaves it sent when I first got the call that I have been selected as one of the players to form part of the Icons Series Team South Africa team, and ja, I am obviously very excited and looking forward to it. A lot of preparation is going on behind closed doors to try and prep for it because it's quite a serious competition," said Tau. 

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Tau says the icons cup call-up mirrors his experience of being called up to Bafana Bafana, whom he represented at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.

"I think there are similarities to it in the sense that you get an opportunity to be called up to represent your country among everybody else who would have loved to have had that opportunity. So that in itself speaks volumes about how serious the tournament is, and if you compare it to the national team.

I feel like it's more like a call-up. I remember playing back in those days when the call-up was not coming, and other people were being called up already. You become so anxious, like when is my name being called up, and yes , it has that same feeling."

The 46-year-old will line up alongside former Springbok legend Schalk Brits, who revealed to SABC Sport in a previous interview that he enjoys the intricacies of golf over rugby. Tau says he shares the same sentiments, adding that golf has taught him a great deal of himself and how to react to the challenges of life.

Tau worked closely with John Terry during the 2026 FIFA World Cup as an analyst, but will now be pitted against the former Chelsea FC captain, who will represent Team World. Tau says he is looking forward to playing against Terry, while also revealing he picked up a few hints about his swing from Terry’s instagram.  

The Icons Cup will take place at The Links at Fancourt in George, Western Cape, from 11-13 December 2026.