With his 199, former Proteas all-format captain Faf du Plessis ended a torrid 2020 for cricket in a way that his employers should start 2021: on a high that should not be temporary.

A seven-match trial as Test captain over the 2020/21 season will tell whether Quinton de Kock can play as a batsman only, which might need to happen in the long run.

Proteas women's speedster Shabnim Ismail, the last-born of seven children, turned 32 on October 5, but her boundless energy suggests why she may have longevity in the game.

The Bulls cemented their position at the top of the Currie Cup log with an uninspiring but workmanlike 40-13 bonus-point win over the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld.

Conquering England's phalanx of all-rounders and their deep batting line-up will be South Africa's main challenge for today's second T20 in Paarl.

Former Springbok fullback and assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher, who's been on the receiving end of spirited performances against Argentina, said their improved discipline has played a critical role in their rise as a proper Tri-Nations force.

In what was a lesson in patience and pace-making, the Lions shrugged off a slow start and a 14-point deficit to beat the Griquas 20-17 in Kimberley in a weather affected game

In what was a Super Rugby Unlocked coronation, albeit a quiet one after a 10-year gap, Jake White's Bulls played the wet conditions perfectly to crush the Pumas at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.

Having made his international debut at the age of 19 against the West Indies at the Mangaung Oval in 1999, Proteas selection convener Victor Mpitsang knows a bit about pressure.

The Sharks are going through a teething process that wouldn't have been expected considering how well they played in Super Rugby before the Covid-19-enforced lockdown.