BLAST FROM THE PAST | Boks beat Wallabies to claim second Tri-Nations title

1862 — The Cape Argus reports on what is now the first recorded rugby contest in South Africa, a game between the officers and the civil service.

1907 — Jimmy Sinclair and Aubrey Faulkner put on 61 for the opening partnership before South Africa suffer a scare as they lose three wickets for 15 runs on the final day of the third Test against England at the Oval. But Bert Vogler (19) and Tip Snooke (36) steadied the ship as the visitors reached stumps on 159/5 to draw the match. England won the series 1-0.

1955 — University of Miami student Johann Kupferburger wins the men’s singles crown at the Ontario International lawn championships, beating American Gardnar Mulloy 6-4 6-3 9-7 in the final. Kupferburger teamed up with Sara Turber of the US to win the mixed doubles title.

1965 — The Springboks suffer a double whammy as they go down in their worst defeat to the All Blacks, 0-13 in Dunedin, conceding three tries to endure their seventh consecutive defeat — their longest losing stretch in history. Lionel Wilson gave a solitary stand-out performance for South Africa at fullback, taking on the rampant Kiwis single-handedly in a display that earned him a standing ovation at Carisbrook.

1973 — Pierre Fourie is outpointed over 15 rounds by world light-heavyweight champion Bob Foster in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Foster, one of the greats of the division, had been taken the distance only once before in 11 previous defences.

1983 — John Bland, 38, nails an eight-foot eagle putt to claim his first European success by winning the Benson and Hedges International Open in York by one stroke — one hole after dropping a shot through a missed putt of a similar distance. Bland carded a 15-under-par 273 for the R30,200 winner’s cheque ahead of West German Bernhard Langer.

1993 — The Springboks win the try-count 2-1 but they lose the third and final Test against Australia in Sydney 12-19. Captain Francois Pienaar and wing James Small dotted down for South Africa, but home team fullback Marty Roebuck slotted four penalties and a conversion to seal the three-match series 2-1.

1994 — England beat South Africa by eight wickets to win the third and final Test at the Oval and share the series 1-1.

2002 — Mark Boucher and Boeta Dippenaar are the only batsmen to deliver as the Proteas lose to Sri Lanka by 27 runs in the triangular final in Tangier. Pakistan was the third team in the tournament. Sanath Jayasuriya scored a run-a-ball 71 to lift Sri Lanka to 235/7. Boucher hit 70 off 65 balls and Dippenaar made a patient 53, but Jacques Kallis was the only other South African batsman to get into the twenties.

2003 — Gary Kirsten scores an unbeaten 109 on the first day of the four Test against England in Leeds. He added 21 runs the following day.

2004 — The Springboks claim their second Tri-Nations title as they beat Australia 23-19 in Durban.