1991 — Welcome Ncita outpoints Hurley Snead of the US over 12 rounds in San Antonio, Texas, to retain his IBF junior-featherweight title for the fourth time.
1996 — Shaun Bartlett scores twice as Bafana Bafana beat Malawi 3-0 in the second leg of their World Cup qualification match in Johannesburg. Mark Fish netted the third to ensure South Africa advanced to the second round of qualification, the group stage where they would go up against Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Congo-Brazzaville.
1996 — Sakhumzi Magxwalisa becomes the first South African boxer to win a world title in Thailand, stopping Chaosingthong Chalermsri in the second round to lift the marginal WBU junior-bantamweight belt in Bangkok. Magxwalisa, 20, went into the bout with a record of nine wins and one defeat, which he had suffered in his previous outing. But his reign was short-lived, losing the belt outside the ring after he was found unconscious and needing medical attention in the lead-up to his first defence, also in Thailand. He was said to have been drained from weight loss. He moved up to junior-lightweight for his next bout nine months later, nearly 7kg heavier.
1997 — Finally, a South African golfer doesn’t need a play-off to win the US Open. Gary Player had required it in 1965, and Ernie Els in 1994. But this time Els took it in regulation, firing a four-under-par 276 at Congressional Country Club in Maryland to edge Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie by one shot. But it wasn’t easy. In tough scoring conditions Els parred the final five holes while Montgomerie bogeyed the par-four 17th. American Tom Lehman, the overnight leader by two shots, dropped two shots on the 16th and 17th holes.
2002 — Replacement scrumhalf Craig Davidson and fullback Brent Russell score tries as the Springboks beat Wales 19-8 in the second Test at Newlands to win the series 2-0.
2008 — Centre Jean de Villiers scores two of SA’s four tries as the Springboks beat Wales 37-21 in Pretoria to win the two-match series 2-0.
2013 — Underdog Hekkie Budler wasn’t given a chance against Nkosinathi Joyi, but he boxed superbly to edge the veteran by split decision and win the marginal IBO title at Emperors Palace. Budler would add the WBA crown to his collection the next year.
2013 — Trailing 6-17 early in the second half, the Springboks fight back to beat Scotland 30-17 in Nelspruit. Centre JJ Engelbrecht and his replacement, Jan Serfontein, scored tries for SA, who were also awarded a penalty try, all of them in the second half. The Test was part of a quadrangular tournament also featuring Italy and Samoa. Making his debut for the Boks that day was future captain Siya Kolisi.
2016 — Hashim Amla scores 110 off 99 balls and then Imran Tahir takes seven wickets as the Proteas trounce the West Indies by 139 runs in a triangular ODI in Basseterre. SA scored 343/3 in their 50 overs and then bowled out their opponents for 204. Australia were the third team in the tournament.
2019 — Bafana Bafana play to a 0-0 draw against Ghana in a pre-Africa Cup of Nations match in Dubai. Coach Stuart Baxter fielded different starting line-ups in each half.
2019 — The Proteas register their first victory of the World Cup, in their fifth outing, as they beat minnows Afghanistan by nine wickets. Imran Tahir took four wickets and Chris Morris three to help bowl out their opponents for 125. SA reached the target in 29 overs, with Quinton de Kock scoring 68.
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