1891 — The SA rugby team lose 4-0 to Great Britain in the final third match at Newlands to suffer a 0-3 whitewash defeat in their first-ever series. The visitors scored two one-point tries and a single conversion. The hosts failed to score a single point the entire series.
1896 — After six consecutive defeats, South Africa’s rugby team achieve their first-ever victory as they beat Britain 5-0 in the fourth and final Test in front of 3,500 fans at Newlands. Halfback Alf Larard scored the only try of the match, which was converted by centre Tommy Hepburn. The Springboks would not lose a series to a composite British side until 1974.
1903 — The Springboks, captained by halfback Jackie Powell, play to a 0-0 draw against Great Britain in Kimberley. With the first match also drawn, the three-match series was still up for grabs.
1953 — The Springboks’ winning streak of 10 matches comes to an end at Newlands as they blow a 14-3 lead over Australia early in the second half to lose the second test 14-18. Both sides scored four tries, but the visitors converted three to SA’s one to level the four-match series at 1-1. SA had not lost since resuming Test rugby after World War 2.
2009 — The Springboks lose their only match of the Tri-Nations series that season, going down 6-21 to Australia in Brisbane.
2009 — Bafana Bafana head to Leverkusen for a friendly against Germany, but are beaten 0-2. Mario Gomez and Mesut Ozil scored for the home team.
2012 — Hashim Amla scores an unbeaten 97 and AB de Villiers 75 not out to lead the Proteas to a seven-wicket victory over England in the final fifth ODI in Nottingham to tie the series 2-2. Chasing 183, De Villiers joined Amla in the middle in the fifth over with the SA total on 14/3.
2015 — Kirsty McCann and Ursula Grobler become the first women to win a rowing world championship medal for South Africa, taking bronze in the lightweight women’s double sculls in Aiguebelette, France. The duo, traditionally fast starters, had led through the halfway mark before being overhauled by the crews from New Zealand and Britain. Grobler won a world championship medal in 2010, but representing the US in the non-Olympic lightweight quadruple sculls discipline. She returned to SA in 2013.
2017 — Bafana Bafana are beaten 2-1 in their return World Cup qualification match against Cape Verde at Moses Mabhida Stadium, suffering a second straight defeat to the islanders. Andile Jali scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute after Garry Rodrigues had put the visitors 2-0 up.
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.