1976 — Nine white rugby players defy the apartheid government by playing in a match between black teams at the Dan Qeqe stadium in Veeplaas, Port Elizabeth. Their action made front page news and earned the attention of the notorious security police, who approached the Crusaders and Rhodes rugby clubs, where the nine were based. South African Rugby Board boss Danie Craven issued a statement saying they risked being suspended, and the department of sport in Port Elizabeth described the match as illegal. But the players didn’t back down. Five players from Crusaders — Springbok trialist Dan “Cheeky” Watson, his brother Vallance, Okie Vermeulen, Colin Snodgrass and Albert Odendaal — turned out for Kwaru, the team from Kwazakhele, while the other four from Rhodes — Ally Weakley, Derek Barter, Peter Matthews and Charlie Pascoe — played for the black Border side, Sedru. Cheeky had applied for permits to enter Veeplaas, but he was turned down by the department of Bantu administration. His brother said: “I have spent the whole season coaching Kwaru. What’s wrong with me playing with them in a friendly?” Kwaru won 30-3 and after the match black fans carried some of the players, including the Watsons, off the field on their shoulders.
1992 — Playing in only their sixth international since readmission, three months earlier, the South African soccer team is smashed 0-4 by Nigeria in a World Cup qualifying match in Nigeria. It was their heaviest defeat, eclipsing the 1-4 loss to Zimbabwe two months before. It was matched a few times, but stood until Bafana Bafana were hammered 0-5 by Brazil in 2014.
1997 — South Africa and Pakistan draw the first Test in Rawalpindi.
1999 — The Springboks down Spain 47-3 in a World Cup match at Murrayfield. South Africa scored seven tries in total, with eighthman Andre Vos dotting down twice. That remains the only time the two sides have played each other.
2000 — Jacques Kallis takes 2/26 and then scores an unbeaten 78 as the Proteas beat England by eight wickets in an ICC Knockout Trophy quarterfinal in Nairobi. South Africa bowled the English out for 182.
2001 — Captain Shaun Pollock takes 5/37 as the Proteas bowl out India for 233, but South Africa lose the triangular tournament ODI at Centurion by 41 runs.
2003 — The Proteas draw level at 2-2 in the five-ODI series as they thump Pakistan by six wickets in Rawalpindi. The home side was bowled out for 157, with Andre Nel taking four wickets and Makhaya Ntini three. Jacques Kallis hit an unbeaten 58 to help South Africa to victory in the 39th over.
2004 — Benni McCarthy converts a spot kick to give Bafana Bafana a 1-0 win over Uganda in a World Cup qualifier in Kampala.
2009 - A lacklustre Bafana Bafana are beaten 0-1 by Norway in a friendly in Oslo. It took South Africa 77 minutes before they finally forced the home team’s goalkeeper to make a save. Kjetil Waehler netted for Norway early in the second half.
2010 — JP Duminy scores 96 off 54 balls as the Proteas make 194/6 to beat Zimbabwe by eight runs in the final second T20 in Kimberley for a 2-0 series win.
2010 — Bafana Bafana play to a goalless draw against Sierra Leone in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Freetown.
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