1928 — The Springboks go down 6-7 to New Zealand in the second Test at Ellis Park. In a tryless match, both sides slotted a penalty each, Bennie Osler landing SA’s. The home side, for the only time in its history, also scored three points from a goal from a mark, carded by captain Phil Mostert, a prop. But the difference was that All Black centre Archie Strang kicked a dropped goal, which was worth four points. The result drew the visitors level at 1-1 in the four-match series.
1962 — Flyhalf Keith Oxlee converts a lone penalty as the Springboks down the British Lions 3-0 in the second Test at Kings Park in Durban to go 1-0 up in the four-match series. The first Test had ended in a draw.
1996 — Penny Heyns wins SA’s first Olympic gold medal since 1952, when she lifts the 100m breaststroke crown at the Atlanta Games. Heyns went 1 min 07.02 sec in the morning heats to improve her own world record. She slowed to 1:07.73 in the final, but it was still plenty to finish first ahead of American teen Amanda Beard.
2001 — Joe van Niekerk makes his debut as the Springboks go down 3-12 against the All Blacks in a Tri-Nations match at Newlands. There were no tries scored, with all the points coming from penalties.
2001 — Bafana Bafana lose to Malawi for the first time, producing a lacklustre performance as they go down 0-1 in a Cosafa Cup quarterfinal in Blantyre. Malawi captain Patrick Mabedi scored the winner from a penalty nine minutes from timeout.
2002 — Bafana Bafana beat Madagascar 4-1 on penalties after their Cosafa Cup quarterfinal had ended in a goalless draw at the old Boet Erasmus Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
2002 — Ernie Els, winner of two US Open titles, wins his first British Open crown after a four-way playoff. Els, Frenchman Thomas Levet and Australians Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington all fired six-under-par 278 at Muirfield. After a four-hole playoff, Els and Levet were tied for the lead on level par, and they went into a sudden death shoot-out, which Els won on the first hole to pocket the first prize of £700,000 (R14.3m).
2009 — Durban-based Chad Ho takes bronze in the 5km open-water swim at the world championships in Rome. The 2008 Olympian, who matriculated the previous year, clocked 56 min 41.9 sec to finish behind German Thomas Lurz, who won his third straight crown in 56:26.9, and Spyridon Gianniotis of Greece, third two years earlier, in 56:27.2
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.