SportPREMIUM

Blast from the past: Geffin kicks Boks to victory over All Blacks

Today in SA sport history: September 3

Springbok prop Okey Geffin scored all 15 points with the boot to help the Springboks beat New Zealand 15-11 in Cape Town in 1948.
Springbok prop Okey Geffin scored all 15 points with the boot to help the Springboks beat New Zealand 15-11 in Cape Town in 1948. (Gallo Images)

1910 — South Africa run in four tries as they hammer Britain 21-5 in the decisive third Test at Newlands. Fullback Percy Allport, halfback Lammetjie Luyt and forwards Koot Reynecke and Gideon Roos dotted down to clinch the three-match series 2-1. Dougie Morkel landed three conversions and a penalty for a personal tally of nine that made him the highest-scoring Springbok. He went on to amass a career haul of 38 Test points, a mark that stood until 1932.

1938 — The Springboks run in three tries to beat the British Lions 19-3 in the second Test at Crusader’s in Port Elizabeth and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Wing Johnny Bester, centre Flappie Lochner and flanker Ben du Toit dotted down for South Africa.

1949 — The Springboks beat the All Blacks 9-3 at Kingsmead in Durban for an unassailable 3-0 lead in the four-match series. Prop Okey Geffin kicked three penalties while New Zealand centre Maurice Goddard scored the only try of the match.

1955 — Willie Toweel challenges Frenchman Robert Cohen for the same world bantamweight crown his brother Vic had held a few years before. But the young Toweel, just 21, gets careless and is dropped three times in the second round at the Rand stadium in Johannesburg. Toweel recovered and fought back, and though he went down again in the 10th round, he boxed well enough to earn a draw over 15 rounds. Toweel didn’t lose, but the title stayed with Cohen and Vic’s younger brother didn’t get another shot again.

1955 — British Lions centre Jeff Butterfield scores the only try of the match as the visitors beat the Springboks 9-6 in the third Test to take a 2-1 lead with one match remaining. Fullback Roy Dryburgh kicked two penalties for the home side. Centre Wilf Rosenberg, praised for his bone-rattling tackling, was criticised for attempting to score tries himself instead of passing. The win gave the visitors a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

1994 — Robert Herreveld takes the K1 bronze at the ICF Canoe world marathon championships in Amsterdam. He clocked 2hr 59 min 59sesc on the 42.7km course, behind Denmark’s Lars Koch (2:59:46) and Tom Krantz of Sweden (2:59:50). Herreveld won six Berg River Canoe Marathon titles from 1991 to 1996.

1995 — Mzukisi Sikali survives a flash knock-down in the third round to beat Argentinian Juan Cordoba over 12 rounds at the Centenary Hall in Port Elizabeth’s New Brighton township. The victory ultimately illustrated how underrated Sikali was as a boxer. Cordoba went on to win a bona fide world title, while Sikali would never do better than lift three peripheral belts.

2000 — Thabo Mngomeni and Bradley August score goals as Bafana Bafana beat Congo 2-1 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Pointe Noire.

2005 — Sibusiso Zuma scores a late consolation goal as Bafana Bafana lose their World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in 1-3. Ouagadougou, effectively ruling them out of the 2006 tournament in Germany.

2014 — Dane van Niekerk scores 34, but after she is dismissed the South African women losing their last seven wickets for 20 runs to lose the second T20 against England in Northampton by 42 runs.

2022 — Sivenathi Nontshinga lifts the vacant IBF junior-flyweight title in his 11th professional fight, making him the least-experienced South African boxer to win a mainstream belt since Vic Toweel won the undisputed bantamweight crown in his 14th outing in 1950. Nontshinga scored a flash knock-down in the second round before earning a split decision victory in Hermosillo, Mexico. He was the second South African fighter to win that belt after stablemate Hekkie Budler. Dee-Jay Kriel, another sparring partner, and Zolani Petelo, both of them former IBF strawweight champions, failed in their attempts in 2021 and 2001.

2021 — Bafana Bafana and Zimbabwe play to a goalless draw in a World Cup qualifier in Harare.

2022 — The Springboks run in four tries as they brush aside Australia 24-8 in a Rugby Championship contest in Sydney.

2023 — Donovan Ferreira makes 48 off 21 balls to lift the Proteas to 190/8, but it’s not enough as Australia win the final third T20 at Kingsmead by five wickets to take the series 3-0.

2023 — Tazmin Brits scores 46 as the South African women make 150/3, but they lose the second T20 against Pakistan in Karachi by seven wickets.



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