Monty relishes added burden

Percy Montgomery

PRETORIA, South Africa - Sustaining respect at home and abroad has been a battle for Springbok fullback Percy Montgomery. But his personal struggles would be irrelevant if South Africa could overturn a wretched Tri-Nations results sheet with victory against the All Blacks.

"Morale is good but the series has dragged on for us," he said. "We have changed a few things and this game is all about gaining some respectability - and that is what we have to do."

Confidence had returned to the Boks after five weeks on the road, he said, they felt more content at home and playing on the high veld in Pretoria, which "should be good fun".

This will be Montgomery's 80th test, his inclusion in the side due as much to his goalkicking as an absence of others challenging for his place.

With a raft of injuries and a lack of cover, coach Jake White had to put an extra workload on players like captain John Smit, Os du Randt and Montgomery.

The fullback was not about to comment on any perception the All Blacks were arrogant with their multiple changes for this Pretoria test - that was for others to decide.

"It has not been the greatest of Tri-Nations for South Africa but, going into this test, we have worked hard.

"It is quite difficult even for the guys from sea level. The altitude kills you quite a bit but we have been up here a fortnight and that helps. Lots of hard training is the only way to beat it."

The Springboks did not feel under any extra pressure to get a result tomorrow and liked their chances back on home soil. They had the worst of the Tri-Nations draw and it had been a slog without any victories.

"You just have to hang in there," Montgomery said. "You have to stick it out and bounce back.

"Playing for your country, you have to be sharp and you might not be as sharp as you want to be during the week - but you want to recover as quickly as you can for the game and it is not an excuse.

"In the last three games we have lost a lot of ball but if we can retain it we can break the line," he said to counter an All Black theory that the Boks do not make a great deal of play and scored tries from mistakes.

The South African rush defence was also a weapon and it had worked to some degree in Wellington.

But Montgomery acknowledged the pace of the New Zealand back three and the difficulties they would pose in counterattack.

Last year in Cape Town, the 'Boks were able to shut down Richie McCaw and the Wallabies tried similar tactics last week at Eden Park.

"He is a great player and gets round the park a lot - you have to use your own strengths to keep him away from the ball as much as you can," Montgomery said.

"Daniel Carter is also up there as a five-eighths. He has worked hard at his game and deservedly can be rated as the number one flyhalf in the world at the moment.

"But we have to focus on our own game and make it happen."