1928 — The Springboks and New Zealand play their first Test in South Africa, facing off in Durban. Bok winger Jack Slater scores the only try of the match, but with flyhalf great Bennie Osler on form with the boot, nailing two penalties and adding two drops, worth four points apiece in those days, the home side score a comfortable 17-0 victory.
1973 — Nkosana “Happy Boy” Mgxaji wins the black version of the South African junior-lightweight crown when he outpoints legendary Anthony “Blue Jaguar” Morodi over 12 rounds in the champion’s backyard at the Jabulani amphitheatre in Soweto. Morodi had won their previous clash the year before, and the pair would fight twice more, with Mgxaji winning both.
2001 — Victor Matfield wins his first Springbok cap as South Africa beat Wales 60-14 in a one-off Test in Port Elizabeth. Scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen scored two tries from the bench.
2018 — Caster Semenya improves her 800m national record to 1:54.25 to win a Diamond League meet in Paris. It was the fourth-fastest time by a woman.
2019 — Caster Semenya runs her final women’s 800m race, winning at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene in 1:55.70 before being outlawed by the new rules for athletes with differences in sex development imposed by the sport’s world governing body. The regulations required her to take medication to reduce her naturally occurring high levels of testosterone, which she refused to do. The regulations had kicked in the previous month, but she had gone to court in Switzerland, obtaining a temporary reprieve that allowed her to compete once again.
2022 — Akani Simbine wins the 100m at the Stockholm Diamond League meet in Sweden, crossing the line in 10.02.
2022 — Marizanne Kapp scores an unbeaten 43 and Tumi Sekhukhune 33 not out off 134 deliveries as South Africa survive a rainy final day to draw the one-off women’s Test against England in Taunton, on 181/5, a lead of 48 runs. Lizelle Lee made 36.
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