Flashy Percy Montgomery reborn

New and improved Percy Montgomery faces his big test, writes CHRIS RATTUE


It was probably the silver boots. Then again it might have been the silver hair. The fancy Christian name didn't help either.

Springbok fullback Percy Montgomery has had one of those love-hate relationships with the rugby public in which an unusually large number of people loved to hate him.

He had that strangest of X-factors - many Springbok fans would more likely have described it as a hex-factor. Even his name somehow suggests a softness out of place in the rugged world of South African rugby.

As one writer put it, the fans never knew whether to expect inspiration or insanity when Montgomery got near the ball.

It's a pigeon hole that has been tough to fly away from, although ironically he has begun to do that - at the age of 30 - by jetting to Wales away from the pressures of home.

For Montgomery, it was often a case of every one of his gaffes getting twice as much attention as the next man's. And it has endured. An Australian rugby show still awards a "Percy" for the botch-up of the week.

Even his accessories have come in for attention.

Commentator Murray Mexted once reckoned: "Look at those boots. I wonder if he got them at the Gay Mardi Gras."

New Springbok coach Jake White, however, sees a different Montgomery.

When White was allowed by the South African Rugby Union to pick a limited number of overseas-based players, he plumped for Montgomery and Jaco van der Westhuyzen, who has just left Leicester to join NEC in Japan. Of all the people to help make history in this way, Montgomery was among the least likely.

He had left South Africa in 2002, to join Newport, in controversial circumstances. Through his agent, Montgomery blamed quotas for black players in the national side as a reason for departing, saying Conrad Jantjes and Ricardo Loubscher had the inside running at fullback.

The Springbok coach of the day, Rudolf Straeuli, hit back, saying Montgomery had played 50 tests and often when his performances were not up to standard.

"How many black players have been afforded this opportunity?" Straeuli asked.

"It is a sad excuse when a player, through his agent, blames transformation ... the player is going because of the cash incentive. It means more to him to earn pounds than it does for him to play for the Springboks."

Just another day in the office for a man who either courts or attracts unpopularity.

The Namibian-born Montgomery was disliked in the extreme in parts of South Africa, particularly the Afrikaaner-dominated areas in the north.

Montgomery acknowledged he played a part in his own downfall with the conservative Pretoria crowd. He wore shiny boots and peroxided his hair to enhance the flashy image when playing for Western Province or the Stormers.

White said: "Monty has matured quite a bit since those days and having had a good chat with him, it is clear he realises this is his career and he does not have time for distractions.

"As for the silver boots ... well, I do not believe he will ever go down that road again as that is not the type of attention he is looking for."

The Loftus crowd were at their most severe when the Springboks were beaten by the All Blacks in Pretoria in 1999, with Montgomery bearing the loathing.

But Montgomery said: "I have happy memories of Loftus and never blamed the crowd for giving me stick. South African rugby was going through a bit of turmoil at that stage and I was the blond bombshell from Western Province. So that was just the way it went."

MONTGOMERY and Wales never seemed like a great fit. The flashy South African with a flaky playing reputation going to the cold and conservative valleys of Wales? Yet Montgomery has proved a hit.

Welsh coach Mike Ruddock, who coached Montgomery at Newport, sings his praises, highlighting Montgomery's skill and courage, and the personality he brings to the game.

"He is a real pro and even on days off, he spends time kicking and getting the kids in his area to help him."

Montgomery recently hinted at the financial reasons, pinpointed by Straeuli, which led him overseas.

"I just needed a change, a new challenge," he said.

"South Africa couldn't give me security so I made a decision to go. It was tough for me. I really wanted to stay, but we had new coaches.

"I had a chat with them and they couldn't give me what I wanted so I had to make a decision that was in the best interests of my family, myself and my career."

Drama has still been at hand in Wales. He was suspended for six months for pushing a touch judge - just as Straeuli was rumoured to be considering him for the World Cup.

During his hiatus, Montgomery called off his wedding to model Tasmin Tobitt after the invitations had been sent out, then married in secret, apparently without even their parents knowing.

And many will believe there are definitely more flaky on-field performances in him.

Goalkicking is another matter. He has become a dead-eye-dick. He landed 27 in a row for Newport at one stage, using a shorter run-up which he says improves timing.

After missing the first test of the year against Ireland because of a hand injury, Montgomery returned in the second test, played against Wales, and then goaled from far and wide against the Pacific Islanders to pip Naas Botha's South African test record of 312 points.

Appropriately, perhaps, for this enigmatic character, the milestone was achieved in Gosford, Australia, against a team that may never take the field again.

Tonight's match against the All Blacks, however, will provide the biggest test so far of the new and improved Percy Montgomery.

And you can be sure that the South African fans will let the world know what they think.

"The South African fans are very fanatical and they really want to win," Montgomery said. "You just have to move on, you can't let the sideshows worry you."


PERCY MONTGOMERY

Age: 30

Club: Newport Gwent Dragons (Wales)

Position: Fullback

Height: 1.85cm

Weight: 87kg

Test debut: 1997

Previous teams: South African schools, Western Province under-21s and Currie Cup, Stormers, Newport Gwent

53 tests

313 test points (South African record)