Blast from the past: Kallis stars with bat and ball to help thump England
Today in SA sport history: October 10
1976 — Nine white rugby players defy the apartheid government by playing in a match between black teams at the Dan Qeqe stadium in Veeplaas, Port Elizabeth. Their action made front page news and earned the attention of the notorious security police, who approached the Crusaders and Rhodes rugby clubs, where the nine were based. SA Rugby Board boss Danie Craven issued a statement saying they risked being suspended, and the department of sport in Port Elizabeth described the match as illegal. But the players didn’t back down. Five players from Crusaders — Dan “Cheeky” Watson, his brother Vallance, Okie Vermeulen, Colin Snodgrass and Albert Odendaal — turned out for Kwaru, the team from Kwazakhele, while the other four from Rhodes — Ally Weakley, Derek Barter, Peter Matthews and Charlie Pascoe — played for the black Border side, Sedru. Cheeky had applied for permits to enter Veeplaas, but he was turned down by the department of Bantu administration. His brother said: “I have spent the whole season coaching Kwaru. What’s wrong with me playing with them in a friendly?”..
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