1965 — The Springboks lose their fourth consecutive Test, going down 11-18 in their tour opener to Australia in Sydney. The teams scored two tries each, with winger Jannie Engelbrecht going over twice for the visitors. Lock Tiny Naude added a conversion and a penalty, but the difference came from Wallaby centre Beres Ellwood, who kicks four penalties.
1965 — Annette van Zyl wins the London grass court championship women’s singles title at Queen’s Club, beating Christine Truman of Britain 6-3 4-6 6-4 in the final. Van Zyl, seeded seventh for the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, returned to her lodging from a post-tournament ball to find a cable bearing the news that her father had died in Pretoria. Van Zyl flew home for the funeral, giving up her spot at Wimbledon.
1970 — Eddie Barlow, resuming on 50, scores 119 for the World XI in the first innings of their first five-day match against England at Lord’s. The five games, organised as a replacement for the cancelled South African tour, featured several South Africans and were supposed to have Test status, but in the end didn’t.
1971 — Down 0-3 at halftime, the Springboks fight back to draw the second and final Test against France 8-8 in Durban, giving the hosts a 1-0 series victory. Centre Peter Cronje scored South Africa’s only try while winger Roland Bertranne went over for the French, who failed to effectively use an overlap late in the match that might have seen them win. That was the only Test the Springboks did not win that year.
1977 — Alan North’s bid for the 250cc world championship takes a knock as he is prevented from competing in the Yugoslavian Grand Prix after not being allowed into the country because they had broken diplomatic ties with apartheid South Africa. By the time he got to the Czechoslovakia Grand Prix less than two months later, the Durban-based racer was riding under the Dutch flag. He was lying second in the world rankings when the Yugoslavian GP kicked off, but had slipped to 10th by the end of the season.
1993 — South African bantamweight champion Derrick Whiteboy’s challenge for the IBF bantamweight title against Orlando Canizales in Houston ends in a no-contest after the bout is stopped in the third round. An accidental headbutt left the champion with a gash on his left eye. The fighters were even on the scorecards at the time of the stoppage.
1998 — Jonty Rhodes, resuming on 37, scores 117 as South Africa make 360 in the second Test against England at Lord’s.
1999 — The Springboks score triple figures for the first time as they trounce Italy 101-0 in the second Test at King’s Park in Durban. Winger Stefan Terblanche set the South African record for most tries by an individual, dotting down five times. The Boks scored 15 tries, 13 of which were converted. The Boks won the series 2-0.
1999 — Mzukisi Sikali loses his marginal WBU junior-bantamweight title to Luigi Castiglioni of Italy on a controversial split decision in San Severo, Italy. Sikali had won the belt by stopping Castiglioni the previous year, but this time the Italian ran for 12 rounds, and that was enough to convince two of the judges.
2004 — Wingers Jaque Fourie and Breyton Paulse score tries as the Springboks beat Ireland 26-17 at Newlands to win the two-match series 2-0. With the tourists also scoring two tries, fullback Percy Montgomery made the difference with his boot, kicking both conversions and slotting four penalties.
2010 — The Springboks score four tries to beat Italy 29-13 in Witbank to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
2010 — Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers return to the crease to score centuries, 110 and 135 not out, respectively, before South Africa declare on 543/6 in the second Test against the West Indies in Basseterre.
2013 — The Proteas lose to England by seven wickets in their Champions Trophy semifinal at the Oval. David Miller’s unbeaten 56 was the highest score in South Africa’s 175. England reached the winning target with 75 balls to spare.
2019 — The Proteas post a competitive 241/6 against New Zealand in their World Cup group match in Birmingham, but they are edged into defeat by four wickets with three balls remaining. Kiwi captain Kane Williamson struck an unbeaten 106 to secure the victory.
2022 — Eastern Cape sprinter Luxolo Adams claims his first Diamond League title, winning the 200m in a 19.82 personal best in Paris.
2024 — Quinton de Kock scores 74 off 40 balls to lift the Proteas to 194/4 on their way to beating co-hosts US by 18 runs in their T20 World Cup Super Eight match at North Sound. Kagiso Rabada took 3/18 to help peg down the Americans, buoyed by an unbeaten 80 off 47 deliveries by South Africa-born Andries Gous.
2024 — Laura Wolvaardt scores an unbeaten 135 and Marizanne Kapp 114 off 94 balls as the South African women, needing 326 to win, lose the second ODI against India in Bengaluru by four runs.
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