We don't normally do opinion pieces unless directly linked to a specific team and performance during the qualifying rounds of the World Cup. Saying that, more is going to be coming over the next few weeks and months during the build up to the event in South Africa, but this article on the Telegraph website got us thinking today.

The Telegraph is an English newspaper so it is fair for them to reference England fans travelling to the World Cup, but we don't think it is fair of them to say that 'it is virtually certain that some will die' when visiting South Africa for the World Cup.

It is entirely possible that somebody might die. Have you ever tried to eat a whole Boerewors sausage in five minutes (a South African sausage and a game I once played); you could choke to death. Also, if you have ever climbed Table Mountain to look at the spectacular views you'll know that you could get too close to the edge and fall off and yes, it is a big drop, but the way The Telegraph are slanting crime in South Africa is wrong, but that is just our humble opinion.

The Telegraph are scaring for the sake of scaring. They claim 50 people every day are killed in South Africa. They don't tell you where that happens or how or why; think of abject poverty, starvation and years of oppression.

They also don't tell you how many people are killed every day in England. For example, did you know that three children, every single week are killed in England? That is just one statistic I've had to dig for, as it isn't something that is advertised in England or coincidentally, anywhere on The Telegraph website.

They also don't tell you that five people a week in England and Wales are killed by knives. I'm not pointing all these out to scare you from travelling to England, I'm merely linking to them so you are aware, that wherever you go, there is a risk.

You just have to be sensible. Don't go walking down a dark alley by yourself. Stay in a group and don't jump in a taxi after a few beers and say 'take me home' not remembering where you are staying or what hotel you are booked into.

There will also be an additional 30,000 police officers in South Africa next year for this event, pretty much with the single aim of making sure that visitors are safe. Stay in well lit areas with your friends and you will be protected, go walking off into the dark by yourself with a nice watch and a bag full of potential rewards for a mugger and you'll get mugged, but it can happen anywhere and does, every single day of the week.

As long as you are sensible and polite you'll not find a country or it's people anywhere in the world as friendly as South Africa. Get drunk, walk down a dark alley or unlit road by yourself and run into a group of men, in Watford or Johannesburg, and the chances are that there will be trouble.

Take the advice. Stay in groups, enjoy everything South Africa has to offer and don't be silly. You can be silly in New York, Berlin, London, Sydney or Cape Town and the outcome will likely be the same.