Monty the master
14 Aug 2008
In a SA Rugby magazine exclusive, former Bok fullback Andre Joubert pays tribute to Percy Montgomery.
Playing for your country can be a lonely business at times. It’s not just about adoration and the bright lights. Sometimes, when it is going against you, and the crowds who normally support you are suddenly hypersensitive to your every false move, it feels like the world is against you.
It was for this reason that a couple of years ago, when Percy was going through one of those troughs that all top sportsmen do, I wrote him a letter of support. It was after a game at Newlands against Australia. He actually didn’t play badly at all, but it seemed that the crowd thought he was going through a nightmare, and the media were quite critical the next day.
I told him in the note to back himself, to believe in himself, not to listen to the well-meaning advice of others. I reminded him that only he knew what he was tasked to do for the team, what his job was, and whether he was succeeding or failing. Supporters can be fickle, but you have to remain true to yourself, and true to the team goal.
I think that generally Percy has been true to that. There have been a few hesitant moments, of course there have. He wouldn’t be human if there hadn’t been, but then that happens to everyone. For the most part though he has done everything the team could possibly expect of him, and he has been the consummate professional.
Our careers did not overlap that much. There were only two times that we shared a dressing room, one of which was in the final Test that I played at Loftus in 1997. It was that famous match against Australia, where we thumped them 61-22 in the final game of the Tri-Nations, running all over them in the second half.
I can’t remember too much about Percy. I had just come back from a spell out of the team, and I think we were all too concerned about playing for our own places to really think too much about what other players were doing. Percy was just one of several young guys in the dressing room.
He had played against the British & Irish Lions, and in that year’s Tri-Nations matches at outside centre. From what I recall, he kept very much to himself. He was a quiet member of the team, but then that tends to be the case when you are young. I wasn’t present later on, when he became a senior statesman, but I do know from watching him play on the field that he was a guy who appeared to exude a calmness which was transmitted to those around him.
One of my abiding memories of that Loftus Test, which also turned out to be Carel du Plessis’s last as coach, was setting up Percy for one of his first tries at international level. It came when a ball was kicked into touch near the halfway line. I summed up the situation, saw that the Wallabies didn’t have a lot of guys back, and I threw out a long throw to Percy who used his pace to score the try.
His unbelievable pace is what I remember about Percy’s play in those days. Those who had played against him spoke about how quick he was. He had started out for Western Province at flyhalf, but then moved to centre, which was where he played when we were team-mates.
As it turned out, it was me who gave him his first opportunity to move to fullback when I injured my knee and was unavailable for Nick Mallett’s first tour as coach to Italy, France and Britain. Justin Swart may have played in the first Test against Italy in Bologna, but then he was injured, and Percy took his chance of filling the last line of defence with both hands.
It was a great tour for the Boks, and Percy, both with his general play and with his goal kicking, was one of the shining lights. That set up his career, and from there it was hard for me to grab back the No 15 jersey. Nick had a winning team, they had momentum, and there was no need to change the winning combination.
If there is one thing that has disappointed me about Percy it is that I am not sure he has ever really done full justice to his potential as an attacking fullback. With his pace, he could have been devastating joining the line. He had the potential to rip defences to shreds in the same way that Christian Cullen used to when he was playing for the All Blacks.
The fullback orientation has changed quite a bit in the modern game. It has become much more of a defensive position than it used to be. It started changing towards the end of my career, and I got around it by setting myself up as a second flyhalf in the team.
Percy, with his early experience of playing flyhalf, was ideally suited to do that, to have an impact on the game by helping set up plays, but it is not something that he often did. Had he done so, I think he could have been even more effective. Apart from his pace and his distribution skills, he also has an excellent tactical brain and tactical kicking boot.
I don’t know why, but under Jake White the Springboks tended to neglect the fullback as an attacking option. I think Percy could have done more earlier in his career to turn matches in his team’s favour by getting involved from first phase. The Boks tended to shovel the ball back to the flyhalf, but if they could split the line more often – perhaps use Percy as a decoy on the blindside – I think it could have made the Boks so much more potent on attack.
But there again, so much depends on what game the coach wants you to play, and maybe Percy was just fitting into the game plan that the situation demanded. Generally you could not fault his catching and his field kicking, while his goal kicking is one of his biggest attributes.
I found it quite strange that he lost his place in the Bok team in 2001 through a perception that his goal kicking was inconsistent. I have always seen it as one of his biggest attributes and I don’t think enough of a fuss was made of this aspect of the successful Springbok World Cup campaign last year.
Percy was unbelievable during the tournament in France, and I think the Boks drew a huge amount of confidence from the calm way he went about striking the ball over from all angles and distances. Having a guy in the team who can kick like that makes a huge difference to the all-round confidence of the players.
They know that if the situation is set up, the kicker will make sure. It is quite different when your place kicker is less reliable and you aren’t quite sure if he is going to be able to capitalise properly on the pressure you exert on the opposition.
This is particularly important in a World Cup, and in a World Cup final even more so. It was the make-or-break game that comes around only once in a while, and yet if Percy felt any nerves, he did not show it. Every time the opportunity was created for him, he made sure, and by keeping the scoreboard ticking over, the Boks ensured that England were always playing catch-up, and thus always the team under pressure.
I watched the game on television and was amazed to learn from people who were there that Percy was actually carrying an injury from an early stage of that game. He did not look injured to me, but it is a tribute to his commitment and his bravery that he was able to play through an injury and produce such a match-winning performance.
Then again, it is probably a product of having played overseas for so many years. Jannie de Beer is a player who I played against often and never really rated that highly, but then he went overseas for a few years, and after his return, he was just a completely different player. His improvement was astounding.
Percy will probably be the first to admit that he was one of those guys who had several different careers. There was the time before he went overseas, when maybe he was still impressionable and vulnerable in the sense that he would still produce the odd scatty moment. But when he came back from Wales in 2004 to play for the Boks, you could tell that here was a professional, finished product.
I think we have seen something similar just recently from Butch James, who also underwent a major growth process as an international rugby player when he worked under Eddie Jones. There is a lot to be said for exposure to the professional approach of the northern hemisphere clubs. Percy’s approach is very professional and he appears to have his head in the right place.
He also quite clearly looks after his body very well too. He went something like 80 Tests without being injured, and you can’t do that without being supremely fit. To me that is another one of his big strengths as a player – he has done the hard work to ensure that he is physically up to the challenges that get thrown his way.
But even if you are physically fit, the nature of South African rugby is such that longevity is only really reserved for special players. When I say this I am referring to the chopping and changing that South African rugby tends to do, not just between players used in the team, but coaches as well.
Every new coach has a new idea and a different view on the merits of the individuals who are available to him. For instance, my last Test was also Carel’s last, but he had only been coach for eight matches. In that time, he had used a lot of different players, and then he made way for Nick.
Percy survived this transition between coaches, and then several other similar situations later on. It was a masterstroke on Jake White’s part to bring him back when he did, and the experience he built up through his career was crucial to the success of the Boks at the 2007 World Cup.
He is a bit like a good wine in that I don’t think I ever saw Percy play as well as he did at that World Cup. It was not just his goal kicking that was invaluable, but the way he kept things together at the back. As I mentioned earlier, he has a calmness about him that rubs off on the players around him, and it was clear that the youngsters in the team responded to him.
Given the chopping and changing that goes on in South African rugby, it is an incredible achievement on Percy’s part to be on the threshold of playing 100 Tests for the Springboks. It is a testament to the way he cares for his body and the overall professionalism of his approach – he has bounced back from setbacks, and he hasn’t allowed them to beat him.
I think that is an important lesson for all young players coming through who dream of being like Percy and following in his footsteps. As I wrote to him in that letter, it is important to believe in yourself and what you are doing. He came through that ordeal by playing good rugby and doing his talking on the field. That has always been his way, and I salute him for it.
– This article first appeared in the August issue of SA Rugby magazine.
542 Comments
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14 Aug 2008, 06:55 am
2 LEGENDARY FULLBACKS. I agree though that Percy could have been more devastating with that pace he had…probably didn’t back himself coz of the boooing crowds…what an embarrassment we were.
14 Aug 2008, 06:57 am
I think we have evolved as supporters though. With all the errors Steyn makes I’ve never heard a single boo from the crowd
14 Aug 2008, 06:58 am
Every now and then you still see glimpses of that pace of his though..only really turns on the afterburners when a definite try is in site eg Wales Test try
14 Aug 2008, 07:03 am
#2 flanka:
It was mainly the Bulls supporters who booed him. Bloody idiots.
14 Aug 2008, 07:05 am
#4 David: His hair style didnt help him much in that regards in those days
but Monty is a REAL legend.
14 Aug 2008, 07:06 am
“In a SA Rugby magazine exclusive, former Bok fullback Andre Joubert pays tribute to Percy Montgomery.”
That is quite obvious. It its is extremely well written and not riddled with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and logical inconsistencies that would be the hallmark of Keo journalism.
14 Aug 2008, 07:06 am
Face it, after 100 tests, Percy still can’t handle the up-and-under.
14 Aug 2008, 07:10 am
#2 flanka:
Cause Percy hadn’t single handedly won a test match against Aus when he was 19, his defense was piss poor, he didn’t get the same distance on his kicks and he was not so physically imposing as Steyn. He had more pace than Steyn though.
14 Aug 2008, 07:14 am
Tackles- he has gotten a LOT better in that department- granted he wasn’t that reliable 8 years ago with tne up and unders but he has improved- no dispute there.
14 Aug 2008, 07:19 am
#6 klingon_x: Actually the same team that works for keo.co.za works on SA Rugby magazine (and SA Cricket, Business Day mag etc etc)
14 Aug 2008, 07:20 am
Simon just ignore his dig at u guys. I feel u all do a great job- otherwise there wouldnt be as many hits there are.
14 Aug 2008, 07:22 am
#7 TheTackler: well he handles them well enough, especially during world cup finals…and manages to bounce off cameras with consumate ease….give him his dues and move on
14 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
#6 klingon_x: why do you put yourself through this anguish, day after day….are you some kind of self-flagellating martyr?
14 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
two legends of the game, Rolls Royce and Hair Dryer
14 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
before you s[hit in your pants…consummate
14 Aug 2008, 07:30 am
#7 TheTackler: And who in the NZ team boast a RWC medal like Percy Tackles? O sorry I forgot, it’s a useless competition not worth competing in.
14 Aug 2008, 07:31 am
#15 BuckT: Now you’ve stuffed up s[hit. Please try again!!!
14 Aug 2008, 07:34 am
#5 bangkok-bok: Haha, now u see some of the atyles coming out nowdays…Steyn with his 1970′s perm…Oliviers well kept mane
14 Aug 2008, 07:34 am
Percy is, was and will always be a legend of SA rugby – and half of the Loftus bunch and all others who judge people on their hair colour, hair lenth etc are and has always been a bunch of hooligans.
14 Aug 2008, 07:35 am
styles*
14 Aug 2008, 07:35 am
#17 Alibaba: sh]it…dam!!
14 Aug 2008, 07:37 am
#19 Alibaba: Or was I being a bit harsh now? I’ll retract that: Half of the Loftus bunch and all others who judge people on their hair colour, hair lenth etc are NOT and have NOT always been a bunch of hooligans.
14 Aug 2008, 07:42 am
#5 bangkok-bok:
The comparison between the reaction to the coloured “traitors” who support the ABs and the Bok supporters at Loftus who booed their own fullback when he ran onto the field is an interesting one.
14 Aug 2008, 07:43 am
#8 klingon_x:steyn still has the worst haircut in south africa. Looks like he’s growing a birds nest
14 Aug 2008, 07:45 am
David- point noted… Great analogy and quite apt…
14 Aug 2008, 07:47 am
24 flanka – agreed. But I have this weird ‘Samson’ theory that certain playes play better when they have their ‘strength hair’. Have u seen how Zane K’s form has dipped since he cut his bush?
14 Aug 2008, 07:47 am
#7 TheTackler: and after 20 years and 200+ test matches, new zealand still can’t handle a world cup.
14 Aug 2008, 07:47 am
I will repeat something I said elsewhere…
The word ‘legend’ gets used quite often in South African rugby, and although every person has his own favourite, or hero, it is title used too often in my view.
But I can see why. You see a legend according to the dictionary is actually a noun, it is a ‘a nonhistorical or unverifiable story handed down by tradition from earlier times and popularly accepted as historical’. So in actual fact anything or anyone, depending on the storyteller, can become ‘legendary’ because of the story that is told about them.
….
For this reason I do not believe Percy should be called a legend, because nothing about your career and what you did as a Springbok is nonhistorical or even a fable.
Percy is what the dictionary describes as; “noble, significant, loyal, humble, notable, remarkable, exceptionally outstanding”.
Percy is one of the very few, Springbok Greats!
Well done Percy on becoming the first Springbok to earn 100 caps!
(With a whole lot of other stuff in the middle which I left out because it is way too long.)
14 Aug 2008, 07:51 am
Percy truly was (in his earlier career) the one we loved to hate. Every gf I have ever had has fancied his pants off. lol
14 Aug 2008, 07:52 am
#28 PissAnt: sound, as usual.
14 Aug 2008, 07:58 am
#28 PissAnt: You related to Tackles Pissie? “lol”
14 Aug 2008, 08:08 am
#31 Alibaba:
Nah, maybe the bits inbetween I left out will indicate that I am actually a great fan of Percy.
As for tackles, Percy might after 100 test still not be sound under a high ball, but NZ after 20 years still can’t win the World Cup.
14 Aug 2008, 08:10 am
#23 David: Good point – which is worse?
14 Aug 2008, 08:12 am
#32 PissAnt: And if the Boks had been at the 1987 World Cup we might we talking about how the All Blacks have NEVER won the tournament.
14 Aug 2008, 08:12 am
It’s great to see Monty getting his dues. Now if someone could just slap Steyn and put a 15 on his back we could all move on.
14 Aug 2008, 08:13 am
#28 PissAnt: And there I learned something new. Thanks PA, interesting.
14 Aug 2008, 08:14 am
maybe jouba can do some writing for keo.co.za.
i must admit when he made his debut for SA vs the Lions in in 1997, I was 14 years old and made a tape recording of my pre-match prediction and when it came to my comment on percy, i said in a very nasal voice: “i dont think so..”
99 tests later i salute u percy..
14 Aug 2008, 08:16 am
#32 PissAnt: You are one of the people who always post level headedly about rugby, so I respect your opinion – no worries there. The question about your being related to Tackles was “tongue in cheeck” because you were correcting grammar…
14 Aug 2008, 08:18 am
Robbie Deans drops Nathan Sharpe for trip to SA and Luke Burgess out after a training incident on WED. Tuquiri, Horwil,and Elsom doubtful for 1 st test as well! Ashley Cooper as well, interesting.
14 Aug 2008, 08:19 am
#35 kaksioek: Agree, then we will have a solid fullback who can punish the opposition with drop goals from his own 10 meter line. A FB also doesn’t need to pass that often, so that little problem of Steyn is also taken care of, and we can have Connie at wing to replace JP, and then we will have a real potent back three – but maybe Steyn is too white and will stuff up the numbers in the team?
14 Aug 2008, 08:20 am
#39 grant10: Who did he replace them with?
14 Aug 2008, 08:22 am
kak- I agree 100%. I am also one of those who wholeheartedly believe 15 is Steyn’s best position. Why he is always played out of position is perplexing…
14 Aug 2008, 08:25 am
The problem is that Steyntjie wants to be a flyhalf.
14 Aug 2008, 08:26 am
#41 Alibaba: check 28 man squad on news 24. I type slowly! Surprised about Sharpe, he is there Enforcer?
14 Aug 2008, 08:26 am
#34 Simon: you probably would have won 91 and 99 as well – so you’d now have five and England would have one
14 Aug 2008, 08:27 am
#43 kaksioek: Steyn will become the next Bok 10.
14 Aug 2008, 08:27 am
#45 vindicated: wait – you were at 99
14 Aug 2008, 08:28 am
#47 vindicated: Thanks anyway.
14 Aug 2008, 08:28 am
He doesnt have the skills for a flyhalf. Loves his crash ball-type attack, not fast enough in ditribution, kicking game at 10 not good enough and is selfish. Dont get me wrong- I rate him a LOT but his best position is 15- there he has time to kick (huge boot) and can attack with space. Also he is great on defence- what u want in 15.
14 Aug 2008, 08:31 am
#49 bangkok-bok: nothing that the coaches wont fix, Steyn has the x factor!
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