News

Monty to start his hundredth

August 12 2008

Veteran full-back Percy Montgomery will earn his 100th Test cap on Saturday when South Africa face New Zealand in the crucial Tri-Nations clash at Newlands.

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has named Montgomery at number fifteen against the All Blacks with the popular player set to run out in front of his home fans, becoming the first South African to earn one hundred Test caps.

He becomes the ninth person in world rugby to pass the illustrious milestone, joining some of the game's greats in Philippe Sella, David Campese, George Gregan, Stephen Larkham, Jason Leonard, Fabian Pelous, Alessandro Troncon and Gareth Thomas.

Montgomery is recalled to the side in place of Conrad Jantjes, who takes his place on the reserve bench, while Bryan Habana also returns to the side to wear the number eleven jersey in place of Jongi Nokwe who made his debut last week against Argentina in Johannesburg.

"In beating New Zealand in Dunedin, we saw the strength once again of Percy at full-back," De Villiers told a media gathering in Cape Town.

"I think it was Percy's style of play that helped us win the last time we played against the All Blacks, and I think we should use the same strengths again for this game.

"It's not that Conrad doesn't have his own special attributes, but the ones that Percy does have, is the ones we want to use at Newlands."

At the base, last week's impressive substitute Fourie du Preez starts at scrum-half, trading places with Enrico Januarie who will now play off the bench.

Januaries' demotion was arguably the toughest call for coach De Villiers to make after the in-form number nine single-handedly won the last Tri-Nations encounter with New Zealand for South Africa with a superb try four minutes from full-time.

Du Preez has been forced to watch the Springboks' international season from the sideline with a hand injury, but came on against Argentina and showed he hasn't missed a beat in his long absence.

Credit needs to go to Januarie for his outstanding contributions to the Springbok cause in 2008. If not for his try in Dunedin, the Boks would have returned from their Australasian tour winless. But Du Preez's performance last week has affirmed popular belief that he is South Africa's premier scrum-half.

"There were a few reasons why I chose Fourie over Ricky, and if I divulge in most of them, I might as well just go join the All Blacks training and let them know," said De Villiers.

"So in a nutshell, I just think it's the right thing to do for this game.

"Most people live in the past, and struggle to make that step up to what the future expects you to do.

"I can't do that in rugby, I promised the players I would be honest with them.

"If we look as how well Ricky performed, in the Super 14 as well as in the Tests this year, he's in the form of his career.

"But his legs must be getting heavier and very tired.

"We just feel the time is now to make the necessary changes."

Du Preez is a different style scrum-half to Januarie, and while dropping the Stormers man might seem a tough call, Du Preez possesses perhaps the longest field kick, and also the most intelligent tactical game, of any player in his position in world rugby.

"Ricky wasn't bad at kicking time, nor was Conrad. But we do have an option with Du Preez at the base of the scrum as well as Percy and his left boot.

"It's great as a coach to be able to tell a player 'sorry man, you are not starting this weekend', and he didn't do anything wrong.

"So as much as it's a blessing as a coach to pick form players over in-form players, lets hope the blessings continue to rain on the team this weekend."

Asked who will be taking charge of the kicking at Newlands on Saturday following Butch James' impressive day with the boot against the Pumas in which he sloted nine goals from nine attempts, De Villiers was still undecided.

"That's a tough one," said De Villiers.

"Butch did really well against Argentina, and Percy is one of the world's leading goal-kickers.

"But whoever takes the tee, will no doubt have one another's back if need be."

Meanwhile, Juan Smith, who like Montgomery is also a 2007 Rugby World Cup winner, will also achieve a major milestone. The tireless flank earns his 50th Test cap and he will be one of three forwards in the South African pack on Saturday to have passed the half century.

Fit-again flank Schalk Burger has been named in place of Luke Watson while lock Andries Bekker takes the place of the injured Bakkies Botha.

The team:

South Africa: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Andries Bekker, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Brian Mujati, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Enrico Januarie, 21 Francois Steyn, 22 Conrad Jantjes.

Date: Saturday August 16

Venue: Newlands, Cape Town

Kick-off: 15:00 (14:00 BST)

Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)

Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England), James Leckie (Australia)

Television match official: Geoff Warren (England)