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

Today in SA sports history: September 3

1910 — SA 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.

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 SA.

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 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.