28-07-2005, 12:21 PM
If Springbok coach Jake White had to take his hard-earned salary to the bookies and bet on any individual South African most likely to win a tight Test against Australia on Saturday, he would have little hesitation backing Percy Montgomery to do the job.
In the post-match euphoria of South Africa's 33-20 win over Australia at Ellis Park last Saturday to win the Mandela Plate, it was easy to forget that both sides had scored three tries.
Not for the first time, the essential difference between the two teams was the boot of Montgomery. The 31-year-old fullback finished the match with 18 points and a perfect seven, weighing in with four penalties and three conversions.
Australia's Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock, by contrast, both ended the match having succeeded with two out of four attempts at the posts.
Jones acknowledged that goal-kicking was a concern
Now Wallaby coach Eddie Jones, making four changes to his starting line-up from the team that lost at Ellis Park, will begin the Test at Loftus with Giteau as the only goal-kicker.
That is because Jones favours the powerful running of centre Morgan Turinui as the best counter to the defensive attributes of Jaque Fourie. But in the process he has benched Mortlock.
The other changes to the Wallaby team are Matt Dunning replacing Al Baxter at tighthead prop, Mark Chisholm making way for the South African-born lock Daniel Vickerman and John Roe in at flank for Rocky Elsom.
This leaves Giteau, with only a 30 percent success rate with the boot in his last three Tests, up against South Africa's most prolific points-scorer of all time.
Announcing his team on Wednesay, Jones acknowledged that goal-kicking was a concern. But he quickly added that he had full confidence in Giteau to deliver the points, particularly if they are at a premium.
'The most professional player in my squad'
The South African benchmark, previously set by the great Naas Botha, was reached and breached by Montgomery against New Zealand during 2004's Tri-Nations. Montgomery has subsequently stretched his tally to 487 points in 66 Tests from 16 tries, 85 conversions, 75 penalties and four drop goals.
In 2004 Montgomery was given a second lease on life as a Springbok and seized the moment when he returned from Wales to rejuvenate his career. In the first four Tests he played, he never missed a kick for poles - his boot made a huge contribution to South Africa winning the two-Test series against Ireland as a starter to the main course of the Tri-Nations. Now White describes his blond fullback as "the most professional player in my squad".
A far cry from the Montgomery who made his Test debut against the British Lions in 1997 and quickly earned a reputation for being a scatterbrain and a magnet for abuse, particularly from up-country fans, with his silver boots and the "Full Monty" strip-show commercial he appeared in.
Many will also remember the Montgomery who only kicked one out of four against New Zealand at Newlands in 2001 when South Africa lost 12-3.
Today he ranks among the most deadly marksmen in world rugby, a kicker boasting the accuracy of a sniper and one good reason for the Springboks, to start Saturday's Test with confidence.
"The moment Monty gets on the bus he starts focusing and getting switched on for training," said White, explaining the turnaround. White explained that Montgomery's transfer from Western Province to Gwent Dragons had brought about a metamorphosis.
"When he went to Wales he did not have the profile he enjoyed back in South Africa."
"He realised that rugby was his life and that if he wanted to extend his career, he would only achieve this through hard work and dedication."
"In the process he applied himself with utmost dedication and found a kicking style that worked best for him. It's great to have a kicker like Monty in the side and a player who has matured into a great role model for youngsters too," said White.
In the post-match euphoria of South Africa's 33-20 win over Australia at Ellis Park last Saturday to win the Mandela Plate, it was easy to forget that both sides had scored three tries.
Not for the first time, the essential difference between the two teams was the boot of Montgomery. The 31-year-old fullback finished the match with 18 points and a perfect seven, weighing in with four penalties and three conversions.
Australia's Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock, by contrast, both ended the match having succeeded with two out of four attempts at the posts.
Jones acknowledged that goal-kicking was a concern
Now Wallaby coach Eddie Jones, making four changes to his starting line-up from the team that lost at Ellis Park, will begin the Test at Loftus with Giteau as the only goal-kicker.
That is because Jones favours the powerful running of centre Morgan Turinui as the best counter to the defensive attributes of Jaque Fourie. But in the process he has benched Mortlock.
The other changes to the Wallaby team are Matt Dunning replacing Al Baxter at tighthead prop, Mark Chisholm making way for the South African-born lock Daniel Vickerman and John Roe in at flank for Rocky Elsom.
This leaves Giteau, with only a 30 percent success rate with the boot in his last three Tests, up against South Africa's most prolific points-scorer of all time.
Announcing his team on Wednesay, Jones acknowledged that goal-kicking was a concern. But he quickly added that he had full confidence in Giteau to deliver the points, particularly if they are at a premium.
'The most professional player in my squad'
The South African benchmark, previously set by the great Naas Botha, was reached and breached by Montgomery against New Zealand during 2004's Tri-Nations. Montgomery has subsequently stretched his tally to 487 points in 66 Tests from 16 tries, 85 conversions, 75 penalties and four drop goals.
In 2004 Montgomery was given a second lease on life as a Springbok and seized the moment when he returned from Wales to rejuvenate his career. In the first four Tests he played, he never missed a kick for poles - his boot made a huge contribution to South Africa winning the two-Test series against Ireland as a starter to the main course of the Tri-Nations. Now White describes his blond fullback as "the most professional player in my squad".
A far cry from the Montgomery who made his Test debut against the British Lions in 1997 and quickly earned a reputation for being a scatterbrain and a magnet for abuse, particularly from up-country fans, with his silver boots and the "Full Monty" strip-show commercial he appeared in.
Many will also remember the Montgomery who only kicked one out of four against New Zealand at Newlands in 2001 when South Africa lost 12-3.
Today he ranks among the most deadly marksmen in world rugby, a kicker boasting the accuracy of a sniper and one good reason for the Springboks, to start Saturday's Test with confidence.
"The moment Monty gets on the bus he starts focusing and getting switched on for training," said White, explaining the turnaround. White explained that Montgomery's transfer from Western Province to Gwent Dragons had brought about a metamorphosis.
"When he went to Wales he did not have the profile he enjoyed back in South Africa."
"He realised that rugby was his life and that if he wanted to extend his career, he would only achieve this through hard work and dedication."
"In the process he applied himself with utmost dedication and found a kicking style that worked best for him. It's great to have a kicker like Monty in the side and a player who has matured into a great role model for youngsters too," said White.