Springboks points machine: Where is Percy Montgomery now?
Percy Montgomery enjoyed a colourful and not always linear career with the Springboks. Where is the Capetonian these days?
Montgomery collected 102 caps for South Africa.
Along the way, he's seen some pretty cool sights.
Frans Steyn 2007 or Handre Pollard 2023?
At the start of his career, Percy Montgomery was known for his flashy, flamboyant skills. However, as he matured and settled into his roles for the Springboks, Sharks, Stormers and clubs abroad, Monty became one of the most dependable players in the world. He was often the first name on the team sheet. A career tally of 102 caps and 893 points for South Africa bears testament. Only six players in history pulled on the green & gold jersey more often than Percival Colin Montgomery. No player amassed more points.
At his best, Percy was rock-solid as the last defensive line and used his in-game intelligence and tactical smarts to join attacking movements at opportunistic moments. Off the kicking tee, Percy was a metronomic maestro with that abbreviated run-up. 105 of Percy's points for his country came at the 2007 Rugby World Cup when the Boks beat England in the final. Monty led the individual scoring charts that year.
THROWBACK: Nelson Mandela and his Springboks drip Former Springbok Percy Montgomery. Photo: AFP
Percy had stints with Newport and the Dragons in Wales before a short spell with French outfit Perpignan in 2007. Between 2001 and 2008, he was also a valued member of the Barbarians. Percy is up there with the most capped Springboks in history
Percy was the first Springbok to reach a century of caps. Overall, his tally of 102 appearances places him seventh in the all-time reckoning. Only Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtawarira, John Smit and Jean de Villiers have more.
Meet the four RWC winners born in the 80s
Percy has started a tequila brand, El Centurion 102, paying homage to his Springbok test cap tally and the fact that he was the first to bring up a century. He lives on the Atlantic seaboard of Cape Town. The author of this article was lucky enough to summit Lion's Head with the legendary fullback, alongside a bunch of other patriotic South African rugby lovers. This was an informal gathering to drum up support just before the Springboks travelled to Japan to contest the 2019 Rugby World Cup. That ended pretty well. Percy also coached the SA Rugby Legends vs the Portuguese Barbarians in 2022 in Portugal. For a laugh, you know?
Join Percy on Instagram as he continues tackling life's side quests on his travels, which include saving a dolphin. Former Springbok Percy Montgomery has helped save a dolphin calf that had been stranded on the beach in Arniston in the Western Cape. Image: Video screengrab
Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
39 minutes ago
- The Citizen
Springboks need different mindset for Baabaas: 'They can rip you apart'
The Springboks will be unable to analyse the Barbarians, as they do with other international teams, ahead of their match in Cape Town next week. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says the Boks will have to have a different mindset when they take on the Barbarians in Cape Town next weekend. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images The Springboks will need to go into their season opener against famed invitational team, the Barbarians, with a different mindset if they want to emerge from next weekend's encounter without any mental scars, according to coach Rassie Erasmus. The BaaBaas, as they are affectionately known, draw top rugby talent from around the world to play for them, and have already announced some massive names to play for them against the Boks in Cape Town next Saturday. They will be coached by former All Blacks assistant and Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans, while some of the big names that will turn out for them are All Blacks players Sam Cane and Shannon Frizell and Irish stalwarts Peter O'Mahoney, Conor Murray and Cian Healy. 'Play what they see' Due to the fact that the team draws talent from all over, and have very little time to train together, they are a side that cannot be analysed, which is something that the Bok management group does extensively with teams they come up against. 'We are a team that likes to analyse the opposition, we always do that and Felix (Jones, assistant coach) plays a massive role in that, especially in finding out what the opposition's strengths and weaknesses are,' explained Erasmus this week. 'We can't do this with a Barbarians team, but there are also individuals we know, although they will be very late with announcing some of the individuals that will play for them. The thing is, when they get together, you tell them to play what they see and be entertaining. 'If you give them bad kicks they will rip you apart. We will try and play really structured in our way and try to get through the game without any mental scars, because that is something that happens if you are in the Barbarian mindset.' Springbok attack Erasmus said that the Springbok attack would be an important weapon for them against the BaaBaas, and that Jones and attack coach Tony Brown will play an integral role in getting the guys up to speed for the game. 'Without a doubt the attack will be important,' said Erasmus. 'With hard work and getting your fundamentals right and between Tony really pushing the guys hard in seeing opportunities, playing with freedom, but not so much that you play yourself into a hole … and then everybody suffers because you tried a few things. 'It's all about the attack side and it is all about Felix supporting Tony. That is why in this specific game there is not a lot of specific defence to analyse so we can focus on our own guys.' The match will afford the Boks a good chance to focus fully on themselves, whereas in normal internationals they have to put a fair bit of focus on their opposition, and Erasmus is happy to have that opportunity. 'We wanted to play against them, and we know it will be a good test for us. They are a team that enjoys playing what they see, but the focus for us in that match will be on our structures,' said Erasmus. 'They have included some very experienced campaigners and great players in world rugby in their squad, so it will be a good assignment for us to get back into the swing of things at this level.'
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Springboks' RG Snyman reveals the secret behind South Africa's sporting triumphs
FILE - Springbok lock RG Snyman has hailed Rassie Erasmus' motivational skills. Image: Adrian Dennis / AFP Big Springboks lock RG Snyman says South Africa's sporting success on the world stage is no fluke. The Proteas are the latest South African sports team to win internationally after beating Australia in the World Test Championship final. It was their first piece of ICC silverware since 1998. The Springboks won back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, while Bafana Bafana won the bronze medal at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations and have qualified for the next edition in Morocco, which will be played from December 26. During the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, South Africa won six medals, including gold for star swimmer Tatjana Smith and a silver for the 4x100 men's relay team anchored by Akani Simbine. Bayanda Walaza, who helped to win that silver medal in the relay while still in the school benches, is also the world's fastest teenager. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Recently, Upington-born Rayno Nel won the 2025 World's Strongest Man competition, while Brendali Theron was crowned the World's Strongest Woman in Dubai last month. Snyman himself is fresh off a United Rugby Championship title win with Leinster after the Irish team beat Jake While's Bulls in the final last weekend. 'I think there's a mindset of people that is a little bit different and it feels very driven in a way that I haven't really come across in many other places,' Snyman said during a podcast with former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton. 'It feels like people are very much like 'f*** it, I need to go for this, and I'm going to do this with everything I have and I'm going to give it my all.'' But while there is a drive to succeed, Snyman says the role of Rassie Erasmus has been key to the Springboks' dominance of the rugby landscape over the last six years.
The Citizen
3 hours ago
- The Citizen
Rising Bok star Aphelele Fassi knows he has a target on his back
Springbok fullback Aphelele Fassi said he is developing and adapting his style to meet the growing analysis done on him. Rising Springbok fullback Aphelele Fassi said he is well aware that international teams will be doing more analysis on him since his breakout season last year, but that only drives him to keep developing his game and even change his style where needed. The 27-year-old made his international debut in 2021, and has a total of 11 Test caps under his belt. But he only became a regular feature in the Springbok squad last year, where he played six matches for the national side, including Tests against Wales and Portugal and matches against New Zealand, Australia and Argentina in the Rugby Championship. He shone especially in the latter tournament, kicking well and finding gaps at pace, scoring four tries in those four games. His opposition did not know him well then. They certainly do now, ahead of the next international season, starting with the Springboks' match against the Barbarians in Cape Town on 28 June. 'That is why we are sportsmen' 'Each and every year that you play, you have a target on your back,' Fassi said. 'I think that is why we are sportsmen. That is why we want to develop our game and be able to not be predictable. It is up to me to tick those boxes and play a different style, or come up with a different approach in how I go into games and how I play.' The fullback has been a star at the Sharks for a long time, playing all his domestic rugby there since his debut in 2019. In terms of making the step up to international rugby, albeit over several seasons, Fassi said he had handled the pressure 'pretty well'. 'I feed off energy and I feed off guys… I see how guys do things and I try repeat the same thing,' he said. 'We set high standards within this group and we are not worried about what happens on the outside. If we can set ourselves standards and maintain those standards within this group, we are happy.' Fassi getting back to his best after injury Fassi was sidelined for almost four months after hurting his knee and ankle during a United Rugby Championship match against the Stormers in December. While he was glad to string six matches together since his April return, Fassi said he is still eager to hit top form again. 'It was good to get six games back from injury, be able to get my leg back. I am pretty excited for what is coming up next and how I can be able to develop my game and be able to play a lot of games.' 'I never know when my best is, honestly. Because I just want to keep on improving as a rugby player and being able to learn the way of rugby.'
