1995 — In their only warm-up match ahead of the World Cup on home soil, the Springboks smash Samoa 60-8 at Ellis Park. Chester Williams scores two of the team’s nine tries, with fullback Gavin Johnson getting three, but Williams would not be in the initial World Cup squad. It’s also the last time the Springboks would play a Test in April.
1996 — Playing in Sharjah, UAE, for the first time, the Proteas beat Pakistan by 143 runs in their opening match of a triangular series also involving India. Daryll Cullinan scored 110 from 109 deliveries to spearhead SA to 314/3. The SA bowlers, including a miserly 0/21 in 10 overs by Pat Symcox, restricted Pakistan to 171/7.
1996 — Baby Jake Matlala retains his WBO light-flyweight title in a rematch against Scotsman Paul Weir in Liverpool, stopping him in the 10th round.
1998 — The Proteas suffer their first defeat of the triangular ODI tournament when they go down by six wickets against Sri Lanka in Port Elizabeth. SA were bowled out for 231, with opener Gary Kirsten top-scoring on 46. Captain Arjuna Ranatunga hit 93 not out to steer his team to victory with 20 balls remaining.
2003 — Captained by Graeme Smith for the first time, the Proteas are hammered by India in an ODI in Dhaka. India make 307 and then bowl out SA for 154. Mark Boucher top-scored with 48.
2008 — The Proteas are forced to settle for a 1-1 series draw against India after being bowled out for 121 in the second innings of the third Test in Kanpur. Captain Graeme Smith’s 35 was the top score for the visitors on the third day as India went on to win comprehensively by eight wickets.
2008 — Trevor Immelman, having held the lead since the first round, wins the US Masters by three strokes over Tiger Woods. He had shared the lead with Englishman Justin Rose after the first round, but he went clear after that to stay in front the whole way — even with a double bogey on the par-three 16th in the final round — before ending on eight-under-par 280.
2009 — Opening bat Herschelle Gibbs scores 110 as SA down Australia by 61 runs in Port Elizabeth to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-ODI series. With AB de Villiers making 84, SA scored 317/6 in their 50 overs. After a promising start by the top order of Brad Haddin (78), Michael Clarke (50) and skipper Rickey Ponting (53), the Australians collapsed without much resistance, being bowled out for 256. Dale Steyn took four wickets and Roelof van der Merwe three.
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