Celebrating Monty’s century
16 Jul 2008
In an SA Rugby magazine exclusive, Andre Joubert, HO de Villiers and Chris Latham pay tribute to Percy Montgomery, who’s set to become the first Bok to play 100 Tests.
There can be no doubt about it. Montgomery, who will make his 99th appearance against the Wallabies on Saturday, is a Bok legend. During an international career spanning 11 years and four Bok coaches, he has scored nearly 900 Test points, and won a Tri-Nations and a World Cup. Next year, he is set to become the first man in 26 years to play two Test series against the British & Irish Lions.
Who better to pay tribute to Monty than someone who mentored him (HO), played with him (Jouba) and against him (Latham). Each former fullback gives a unique perspective on the South African who now holds 87 Springboks records.
We also talk to Monty about whether there is such a thing as the complete fullback, his favourite ground, his most memorable Test (apart from the World Cup final), why he prefers touring New Zealand to Australia, the funniest player he’s ever known, and what defines him.
Also in this issue:
– Conrad Jantjes on his fight for the Bok No 15 jersey, how he’s evolved as a player since his Test debut in 2001 and how he feels about Monty joining WP
– Zimbabwe has recently produced three Boks, but the state of the game north of our border is anything but healthy. We investigate
– Andries Bekker talks about his Test debut, what he’s learnt from Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield and the influence Luke Watson has had on his career
– We speak to Sharks coach John Plumtree about the challenge of them winning the Currie Cup (at last), keeping his youngsters in Durban, tweaking the set-up and why the squad needs to hurt when they lose
– Rory Kockott on failing to crack Springbok selection, why he left the Golden Lions, how he approaches goal-kicking and what it’s like to play alongside Frederic Michalak
– We visit Toulouse No 8 Shaun Sowerby in France, and find out why he wants to add to his one Bok cap
– Ollie le Roux discusses his short stint with Leinster, why he wouldn’t have brought John Smit and Victor Matfield back from France, and the threat he poses if he ever goes into coaching
PLUS: Luke Burgess + Lawrence Dallaglio + Top 14 final + SA U20s + free Monty poster
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212 Comments
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15 Jul 2008, 08:58 am
Well deserved.
15 Jul 2008, 09:00 am
I would NEVER have thought! NEVER!
So well done.
15 Jul 2008, 09:01 am
#2 Staal:
To think of all the personal attack he has had to overcome by his own countrymen.
I can not give this guy enough respect.
15 Jul 2008, 09:02 am
Ag nee i see Bollie le Roux is washing out his mouth again. Didnt he say before the world cup we stood no chance at all?
15 Jul 2008, 09:03 am
Percy is without a doubt the best fullback SA has ever produced
15 Jul 2008, 15:40 pm
We’ll have the cover image up now … just having a few technical difficulties.
15 Jul 2008, 15:43 pm
#3 jondood:
Heard Corne Krige talking about it. He said that the SA crowds got him in the end. That’s why he left for Europe.
All I can say is what a comeback!
15 Jul 2008, 15:45 pm
#6 Simon: Simon, verkoop julle die tydskrif hier erens in Pommieland?
15 Jul 2008, 15:47 pm
I think the only threat to that fat arsehole Ollie is a heart attack.
Lose some weight first and stop shooting your mouth off you fat f%ck, no one likes you.
15 Jul 2008, 15:48 pm
Ek hou van ‘n man wat ‘n slag kan slaan…
Ek hou van ‘n man wat sy man kan staan…
Geluk Monty jou ou Walvis Baaier. Ons is trots op jou. Baie trots!
15 Jul 2008, 15:52 pm
yip I just bought the mag and there he is on the cover – Percy!
my hero who played in the RWC final with freeking torn knee ligaments – oh yes what a great he is. The only black mark on his record is the moffie shoes and the fact that he has never known the joy of wearing a red Lions jersey.
Roar!!!
15 Jul 2008, 15:54 pm
#8 GriekwasStormer: Unfortunately not
15 Jul 2008, 15:56 pm
now had I known that Ollie would be featured I would not have purchased it.. how unlucky I was.
15 Jul 2008, 16:03 pm
#8 GriekwasStormer: Griekwas – Keo will mail you the mag if you subscribe – he loves the british pound
15 Jul 2008, 16:14 pm
5 Disa
The records prove that Percy is in fact the best Springbok ever. Anyone who argues with that is simply being emotional and not looking at the hard data.
15 Jul 2008, 16:19 pm
I really think that they should rest Monty for the Argentina test and let him lead the Boks out of the tunnel at a full Newlands (where it all began for him) against the All Blacks for his 100th test. If ths doesn’t happen he’ll lead the team out of the tunnel at an under capacity Coca Cola Park against Argentina.
What do you all think? Would he prefer the first option or do you think that he wants to play in as many tests as possible?
15 Jul 2008, 16:19 pm
#5 Disa: Disa,
Have you seen every Springbok fullback in action since 1891 to make such a statement?
Remember that the guys from yesteryear didn’t Percy’s oppurtunities.
Well done to Percy anyway – one of the great Springbok fullbacks.
15 Jul 2008, 16:21 pm
Ou AsPersie……. jy het ‘n shaky begin gehad…………. fooooooook ek onthou jou 1 Loftus Toets………..
Maar jy het hard geveg en geswoeg en het freegin ‘n legende geword……. kappityt, ou Kreatien-monstertjie……… jy is ‘n YSTER !!
15 Jul 2008, 16:35 pm
ok ollie’s opinion that he wouldnt bring back the two most important players in our side clearly outlines his nuttiness and complete devotion to being controversial.even if it makes no sense at all.
15 Jul 2008, 16:38 pm
pakalolo
Have to agree with you there. I’ve enjoyed Ollie’s free-spiritedness over the years. But that is a seriously ludicrous statement he’s just made.
15 Jul 2008, 17:18 pm
#5 Disa:
who you..Percy boyfriend?
The guy may have played 100 tests but he is NO WAY the best ever in a Bok 15 jersey.
fcking inconsistent *******..has his moments
15 Jul 2008, 17:26 pm
Well done Percy – from a fan over the years (even when you played for Province!).
A credit to fullbacks everywhere.
Also note that you made no mistakes under the high ball last Saturday as many said you would.
Here’s to many more years!
15 Jul 2008, 17:27 pm
Percy has won a WC and a TriNations. He hasn’t won a S14. Has he ever drank champagne from the Curriecup? Remember how much Os treasured finally winning a Curriecup.
15 Jul 2008, 17:28 pm
#5 Disa:
In recent memory both Juba and Johan Heunis were better full backs in my opinion, although Monty improved with age.
He is almost 100% safe under the high ball now and sometimes he tackles. Who would have thought. I did not rate him as a safe pair of hands when he started out.
His positional and tactical kicking is phenomenal. A clever player.
15 Jul 2008, 17:37 pm
#24 allamapstieks:
Agreed, Much Maligned Monty………..
15 Jul 2008, 17:38 pm
Not some more sour grapes from ollie. Still bitter he played so many tests but never started get over it at least you had a bok cap. 100 tests does not make you great, he was born in the right erra. He is a great player but greatest ever full back!?! Andre Joubert was like watching magic a true royal royce!!!!!!! Becy is the tough rugged family sedan. If Naas played as many games he would have scored nearly 400-500 points more.
15 Jul 2008, 17:40 pm
Johan Heunis(NTvl)
better then Percy any given day
15 Jul 2008, 17:44 pm
Remember how Carel du Plessis started Monty’s test career at outside center against the British Lions. He (Monty) quickly obtained the nickname “Spook”, because the Lions ran right through him. When Mallet took over, he had the vision (or was it HO Div’s recommendation) to move Monty to fullback where he was sensational against France and Scotland in 97 and also winning the 98 TriNations.
15 Jul 2008, 17:44 pm
#26 obelix11a:
Jouba and Heunis were better. Different players but still great.
However, Percy deserves the accolades as he has had a lot of ***** to put up with.
15 Jul 2008, 17:46 pm
#26 obelix11a:
Naas is still undisputed greatest kicker of the ball SA has produced.
15 Jul 2008, 17:48 pm
#28 Hier kom groot k..:
Brent Russell was sensational and I reckon would being a greater fullback then Percy had we persisted with him.
Tinus Delport also had his moments in the 15 jersey..the equal of Percy in his peak.
15 Jul 2008, 17:50 pm
#30 greatest13gerber:
Have you forgotten Luke Smith? Absolutely phenominal at kicking the oval ball. ‘Kool hand Luke’.
Otherwise couldn’t play for ***** – same as ‘wit-broek’ Naas.
15 Jul 2008, 17:52 pm
#30 greatest13gerber: Not only that, Naas had phenomenal ball distribution, and his option taking left one breathless. His brain was hard wired to just do the right thing. I have not seen anything like him.
Pity about his defence, but that’s a small gripe.
Agree though that Percy has shown some character after all the criticism he first had to put up with.
15 Jul 2008, 17:52 pm
#31 greatest13gerber: Percy is a great servant of the modern game but to say he is the best because he played so many games is ignorant. Records will be scewed to the modern player. Since the Tri-nations stared each team has played over 50 matches each or 26 against each team thats more games than in the previous 3 decades!!!
15 Jul 2008, 17:55 pm
#30 greatest13gerber:
frans steyn can be a better striker of a rugby ball imho.
15 Jul 2008, 17:56 pm
As an old SACS boy I would love to be able to agree with #5 but that is impossible. Monty deserves all the plaudits that he gets and not much of the mud slinging. He has shown that he is a great person and a rugby player but there are a few full backs that I rate above him and I have seen them all since the days of Roy Dryburgh. Two that I will admit to rating above him are Jouba and HO, but there are others as well.
He deserves to lead the team onto the field against the ABs at Newlands in his 100th.
Just for the grammar police – please Ryan and Co there is no such thing as “trialed” use tested or tried. Trialed is not the verbal formed of trial.
15 Jul 2008, 17:56 pm
#32 OCO:
My best flyhalf list in the last 30 years list:
Naas Botha
Mychael Lynagh
Jonny Wilkinson (but only exceptional for about 3 years)
Daniel Carter
15 Jul 2008, 17:57 pm
I said last week that I thought Monty would be the weak link for the Boks last Saturday.
Here I am admitting I was wrong.
There may have been more talented fullbacks who have donned the green and gold 15 jersey over the decades, but i doubt there have been any that are more dedicated and professional than Mr Percy Montgomery.
15 Jul 2008, 17:59 pm
Unexpectedly the best cover I’ve seen on a SA Rugby magazine!
15 Jul 2008, 18:00 pm
#33 allamapstieks:
people often neglected that at his peak..Naas had very deceptive speed. I don’t think we will ever see a SA player dictate a game like Naas did. the guy was a freak..loved and hated
#32 OCO:
Luke Smith?..you must be off your rocks
15 Jul 2008, 18:02 pm
#26 obelix11a: Yes, if I remember correctly, when Monty passed Naas’s all time Boks points record, he had played more than twice the amount of tests Naas did.
Even today Naas is second on the list.
15 Jul 2008, 18:02 pm
#37 allamapstieks:
my best 10s I have ever seen play
Mark Ella
Naas Botha
Hugo Porta
Stephen Larkham(at his peak probably the most complete)
Dan Carter
15 Jul 2008, 18:03 pm
#40 greatest13gerber: I know. Naas held the 200m NTvl Schools record till just the other day.
15 Jul 2008, 18:04 pm
#31 greatest13gerber: Yes, Monty was sensational initially but only for a short time. In ’98 when England ended our unbeaten run of 17 tests, Kobus Wiese remarked at a wedding that day: “Wie moet ons bedank: PERCY”. Percy’s play deteriorated to the point where he was boo’ed at Loftus. He went overseas to Newport with 50 tests to his name and came back a much more mature and complete player.
But I don’t think Percy was the greatest. Jouba, Johan Heunis and Gysie Pienaar were great fullbacks as well (that I have seen). Doc Craven raved about HO de Villiers and Gerrie Brandt. Lionel Wilson, Ian McCallum, Dawie Snyman and Gerhard Morkel amonst other have established themselves in the Springbok fullback position during their careers. The greatest – who knows?
15 Jul 2008, 18:04 pm
#40 greatest13gerber:
Admit it, you don’t know who he is (was) do you.
15 Jul 2008, 18:05 pm
Well done Percy, 100 test caps is a great achievement. I suspect that most of your critics never made the 1st 15 at school, never played provincial rugby or even attended 100 games. To compare any current rugby player with players that played 10 years ago is a joke. At times I also criticised you, but you kept bouncing back and each time you got better. The man deserves respect.
15 Jul 2008, 18:06 pm
You all forget the best Fly Half ever to have lived……… Hugo Porta………. THE Mr Rugby of the Argies !!
15 Jul 2008, 18:09 pm
#47 grootblousmile: Was he really better than Naas? I only saw him play once. Naas was brilliant to 14 years.
15 Jul 2008, 18:09 pm
#40 greatest13gerber:
The one time I remember Naas was in NZ so many years ago. He feinted a pass to the right, then to the left, and ended up scoring a try to the left of the uprights.
Non of the NZ’ers had anticipated he would actually run with the ball.
Must have been 50 meters and he still didn’t get his shorts dirty or a NZ’er come close to laying a finger on him. Totally unexpected he would take any form of contact.
Hell it was a great try and a top moment in Internationals.
15 Jul 2008, 18:10 pm
You can never compare players who played in different eras with each other…it is a useless exercise and prove nothing. The old timers will obvious say the players from their era’s were the best although they played under totally different conditions, rules, were par-time players etc.
What is verifiable is that Percy played the most tests, scored the most points, has a world cup and try nations winners medal and that alone should put him apart from any of the other lot mentioned. Just a pity that he went to SACS
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