1891 — The touring British Isles team beat Griqualand West 3-0 in Kimberley, one of their narrowest victories on their unbeaten tour of South Africa, which included three Tests. As a result the tourists named the provincial outfit their best opposition and awarded them a gold cup, donated by shipping magnate Sir Donald Currie, which became the famous Currie Cup, the coveted prize of inter-provincial competition. The first Currie Cup tournament was held the following year, contested by five sides with Western Province winning.
1924 — Willie Smith keeps the Olympic bantamweight crown in South African hands as he beats American Salvatore Tripoli in the final of the Paris Games. Countryman Clarence Walker had won the same title four years earlier. As a professional Smith won British recognition of the world bantamweight title to become South Africa’s only Olympic boxing medallist to win any version of a world title.
1959 — Sewsunker “Papwa” Sewgolum shoots a 283 to win the Dutch Open at the Koninklijke Haagsche club by one stroke. The former caddie and packer at a chemical factory was the first player of colour to win a major tournament in Europe.
1974 — Jody Scheckter wins his second F1 championship race, taking the British GP after leader Niki Lauda was forced into the pits late with tyre trouble. Second-placed Emerson Fittipaldi of Brazil was more than 15 seconds behind and Jacky Ickx of Belgium a further 46 seconds back. Scheckter went on to finish the championship in third spot, 10 points behind triumphant Fittipaldi.
1991 — Joseph Skosana surprises by winning the South African marathon championship in Durban in 2 hr 10 min 29 sec, surprising the more fancied David Tsebe by three seconds. Titus Mamabolo won the masters category in 2:19:29, which eclipsed the over-50s 2:20:28 world best held by Bob Foster of New Zealand. Mamabolo’s age-group mark still stands.
1996 — The Springboks take on the All Blacks for the first time since beating New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Fullback Andre Joubert scored the only try of the match at Lancaster Park in Christchurch, but it was the home team who emerged victorious, winning 15-11. Kiwi flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens kicked five penalties, while Joel Stransky added two for South Africa.
1996 — South African junior-lightweight champion Mthobeli Mhlophe is knocked out in the fifth round by American Angel Manfredy, the holder of the marginal WBU title.
1997 — Joannette Kruger beats Austrian Marion Maruska 6-1 6-1 to win the women’s singles title at the Czech Open in Prague.
2002 — The Springboks are overwhelmed 20-41 by the All Blacks in a Tri-Nations match in Wellington. The home team ran in five tries with South Africa replying with two, by fullback Werner Greeff and centre Marius Joubert.
2007 — Robbie Hunter, riding for wild-card entry Barloworld, becomes the first South African cyclist to win a Tour de France stage, taking the 183km 11th stage between Marseille and Montpellier. He triumphed in a bunch sprint, edging time-trial world champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland by half a wheel.
2008 — AB de Villiers, resuming on 70, makes 174 while Ashwell Prince adds 15 to his overnight 134 as South Africa make 522 in the second Test against England in Leeds for a first-innings lead of 519 runs.
2013 — Chasing 321 to beat Sri Lanka in the first ODI in Colombo, South Africa are bowled out for 140 with Alviro Petersen and Robin Peterson top-scoring with 29 apiece. Kumar Sangakkara stroked 169 off 137 deliveries for the hosts.
2014 — Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel take four wickets each as the Proteas dismiss Sri Lanka for 216 to win the first Test in Galle by 153 runs.
2018 — Keshav Maharaj takes eight wickets on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
2019 — Flyhalf Elton Jantjies and lock Lood de Jager score two tries apiece as the Springboks beat Australia 35-17 in a Rugby Championship match in Johannesburg. Substitute scrumhalf Cobus Reinach scored South Africa’s fifth try. The visitors managed only two.
2019 — Akani Simbine wins the 100m at the Diamond League meet in London, clocking 9.93 to beat Briton Zharnel Hughes, Jamaican Yohan Blake and Canadian Andre De Grasse.
2019 — The Proteas suffer heartbreak as they are edged 53-55 by defending champions Australia in the semifinals of Netball World Cup in Liverpool. South Africa were trailing by seven points at the halfway mark, but they took the next two quarters 16-12 and 14-12 to narrow the gap.
2025 — Rubin Hermann scores 63 off 36 balls and captain Rassie van der Dussen an unbeaten 52 to lead the Proteas to a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in a tri-series T20 in Harare. Earlier South Africa restricted the home side to 144/6.
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