Field Marshall Montgomery

Remember when people used to tell jokes about Percy Montgomery; those edgy cracks about his bleached hair and silver boots?

Remember when he left for pastures new in the valleys of Wales and he was labeled a whinger; even denigrated by SA Rugby’s self-proclaimed spin doctor?

That was at the end of the 2001 season and my how graphically the boot has ended up on the other foot.

Foreheads were furrowed when Jake White announced that he was bringing Montgomery back from Newport to be his fullback and goal-kicker but now, a year-and-a-half into the post-Staaldraad era, there is little doubt that “Monty” is perhaps the greatest success story of the many that have blossomed in the fertile White season.

Montgomery returned from his sojourn in Wales a player transformed. Always streaky and given to lapses, hence some of the jokes, he is now consistency itself, a rock at the back, and an inspirational influence on the rest.

But Montgomery’s greatest contribution has been his exceptional place-kicking; more than re-paying White’s simple explanation in 2004 that “I need a goal-kicker.”

Montgomery has played in 16 of White’s 18 tests in charge – missing the first against Ireland and the one against Argentina last year and being replaced by Gaffie du Toit on both occasions – and scored 266 points.

This means that the fullback has been scoring (for White) at a rate of 14.12 points a match and moved his record tally of Springbok test points up to 487 – well clear of Naas Botha’s mark of 312 he passed when scoring 18 points against the Pacific Islanders in Gosford, Australia, last year.

In the 16 tests he has played for White he contributed 46% of the Boks’ points and the coach himself points out that had Montgomery missed just one kick, which might have cost the Boks a bonus points for finishing within seven points, South Africa might not have won the Tri-Nations in 2004.

Montgomery’s transformation is well illustrated by what could be termed his separate Springbok careers. His first spell in the green-and-gold amounted to exactly 50 tests and ended in November 2001. In those tests, in which he was not always the first-choice goal-kicker and in which he often came on as a replacement, he contributed 261 points at an average of 5.2 – compared to 226 in just 16 for Jake White.

He scored six tries in his first eight tests (against the British Isles, New Zealand, Australia and France!) but did not successfully land goal a kick until his 10th test when he kicked eight conversions (and scored two tries) in contributing 26 points against Scotland.

In fact, there is no better illustration of Montgomery’s value to the Boks than two recent tests against the Wallabies. The Aussies won the first 30-12 and lost the second 20-33. Their combined tally of 50 points included eight tries but between them Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock with just four successful goal-kicks, two penalties and two conversions, while Montgomery contributed 30 of the Boks’ 45 points from a 100 percent record of 11 successful kicks; eight penalties and three conversions.

By playing in his 66th international at Ellis Park Montgomery emulated André Venter and with one more outing will become the third most-capped Bok after Mark Andrews (77) and Joost van der Westhuizen (89). In fact, there is no better illustration of Montgomery’s value to the Boks than two recent tests against the Wallabies. The Aussies won the first 30-12 and lost the second 20-33.

Their combined tally of 50 points included eight tries but between them Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock with just four successful goal-kicks, two penalties and two conversions, while Montgomery contributed 30 of the Boks’ 45 points from a 100 percent record of 11 successful kicks; eight penalties and three conversions.

His early flamboyance has given way to an understated maturity but there is little doubt that the younger players look up to him and seek his guidance. White describes him as the “consummate professional” and if ever a player was entitled to show his detractors a one-fingered salute it would be the blond fullback, but the “new” Monty does not do that either.

He just gets on with it and thank goodness for the Springboks that he does.