The curtain has been drawn on 2008 and the door has been opened to the opportunity that exists in 2009. Out with the old and in with the new is the catchphrase of the New Year as resolutions are made and, very quickly, broken.

In sport, though, it is very different. In the case of football and rugby, the turn of the year signifies being halfway through the season.

For many, the success or failure of 2009 has already been determined by what happened in 2008. There is no doubt that Gordon Strachan would have enjoyed his dram better than Walter Smith because, at the time, his team was seven points clear at the top of the league.

In rugby it is exactly the same. The players, coaches and supporters of Ayr will have had a fantastic New Year celebration and be so excited by what will happen in 2009 because they are miles ahead in the league. It will be the year they are crowned Scottish champions for the first time, so the opportunities for them are immense.

Contrast that to the other end of the table where proud clubs such as Hawick and Glasgow Hawks face a real battle if they are to stay in the top division of Scottish club rugby. Not much cheer in either of those clubhouses.

In the pro ranks, Andy Robinson would have been the happier coach on Hogmany due to his teams' destruction of Sean Lineen's Glasgow on Boxing Day. That score was settled in the rematch that Glasgow won quite comfortably but both coaches and teams will look at 2009 with quite a bit of confidence.

Both games over the festive period commanded record crowds and both are handily placed in the Magners League to mount a serious challenge in the second half of the season.

There are two huge rugby events we can really get excited about this year. The RBS Six Nations is imminent and is shaping up to be one of the closest tournaments for many a year.

There is not much to choose between all six teams, and although Wales and Italy will start as favourites to finish top and bottom respectively, any of the teams in between will fancy their chances.

For Scotland, 2009 is the year the fans get two away trips, to Paris and London, and welcome our Celtic cousins from Wales and Ireland to Murrayfield. The only game I am not looking forward to is the annual bore-fest that occurs when Scotland face Italy. It does not matter if the game is in Edinburgh, Rome or St Etienne, or even if it was staged on a Caribbean island, both teams strive to create, consistently, the worst game of rugby of the season.

Even although it is staged annually, my excitement ahead of the Six Nations never wanes; in fact, due to the competitiveness of all teams this year, I doubt whether I have anticipated a tournament more than I do right now.

The British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa is also on the horizon will be immense for players and supporters alike and will increase the focus, if that is possible, on the players during the Six Nations.

Every player that feels he has a shot at pulling on that famous red jersey in the summer will know that he needs a big few weeks during the Six Nations. Even although they will say otherwise during interviews, the Lions is on every player's mind, every single day.

Anyone that is playing international rugby, irrespective of who they were with or where they were, on the sound of the bells ringing in 2009, will have thought about the Lions.

Believe me, it is that important and do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

So much to look forward to in 2009 and so much to fear depending on who you are or what club you are associated with.

There will be so many highs and so many lows it will feel like you are riding on a rollercoaster. Quite simply, hang on and enjoy the ride.

Happy New Year to you all.