News

De Villiers praises the full Monty

August 12 2008

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has praised centurion-in-waiting Percy Montgomery for reaching an historical milestone of becoming the first Springbok to play 100 games in the green and gold.

South Africa's most-capped player will celebrate his 100th game in Bok colours when he runs out against New Zealand in Saturday's Tri-Nations match at his home ground of Newlands in Cape Town.

"We don't have a player that has reached a milestone of 100 caps yet for this country," De Villiers told a press conference on Tuesday after naming the veteran full-back in the world champions' starting line-up.

"But come kick-off on Saturday, South Africa will definitely have one and the focus is just to get through these next few days of training.

"I don't think it could happen to a greater rugby player like Monty," he added.

"The professional player that he is now, and the experience that he brings to the side is priceless.

"What makes him so extraordinary is the fact that he is prepared to share all his knowledge to everybody in the side. He's not the kind of guy to keep everything to himself.

"Even when he's not playing, Percy is the same person, the same character. You can't read anything on his face."

Some would argue that it is a sentimental selection, and it is true that Montgomery was always slated to figure in some way in this match, but De Villiers summed it up quite well when he was asked to comment on the selection.

"We all know Percy's strengths, and he helped us in Dunedin [when he started and the Boks beat the All Blacks]. We will need to use those attributes again this weekend," he said.

Montgomery has been playing international rugby for 11 years, in which he has amassed a total of 887 points for South Africa that includes 25 tries, 150 conversions, 148 penalties and six drop goals.

"I am blessed to work with people like Monty, and this week is going to be huge for him," said De Villiers.

"The only thing I can do is support him this week and try to get him at his best as well as keep him calm.

"I know it must be a whirlwind of emotions going on inside him right now.

"But again, I know his character, he knows that the job at hand [at beating the All Blacks] is more important than individual milestones.

"That's not to say that the team and myself aren't looking forward to sharing this massive achievement with him.

"This is as big as Mandela's 90th birthday - only ten years more."

By Dave Morris in Cape Town