View source for Percy Montgomery

{{short description|South Africa international rugby union player}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name              = Percy Montgomery
| honorific_suffix  = [[Order of Ikhamanga|OIS]]
| image             = Percy Montgomery 2007.jpg
| caption           = Montgomery at the [[2007 Rugby World Cup]]
| birth_name        = Percival Colin Montgomery
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1974|3|15|df=y}}
| birth_place       = Walvis Bay, South Africa
| death_date        =
| death_place       = 
| height            = {{height|m=1.86}}
| weight            = {{convert|94|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| ru_position       = [[Fullback (rugby union)|Fullback]], [[Centre (rugby union)|centre]], [[Fly-half (rugby union)|fly-half]]
| amatyears1        = 
| amatteam1         = 
| ru_amupdate       = 
| repteam1          = {{nrut|South Africa}}
| repteam2          = Springbok XV
| repyears1         = 1997–2008
| repcaps1          = 102
| repcaps2          = 2
| reppoints1        = 893
| ru_ntupdate       = 22 May 2013
| years1            = 2002–2005
| years2            = 2003–2005
| years3            = 2007–2008
| years4            = 2001–2008
| clubs1            = [[Newport RFC|Newport]]
| clubs2            = [[Dragons (rugby union)|Dragons]]
| clubs3            = [[USA Perpignan|Perpignan]]
| clubs4            = [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]]
| apps1             = 17
| apps2             = 38
| apps3             = 14
| apps4             = 10
| points1           = 207
| points2           = 251
| points3           = 95
| points4           = 41
| ru_clubupdate     = 22 May 2013
| super1            = [[Stormers]]
| super2            = [[Sharks (rugby union)|Sharks]]
| super3            = [[Stormers]]
| superyears1       = 1996–2002
| superyears2       = 2006–2007
| superyears3       = 2009
| superapps1        = 52
| superapps2        = 21
| superapps3        = 6
| superpoints1      = 217
| superpoints2      = 213
| superpoints3      = 0
| ru_currentclub    = 
| super14update     = 
| province1         = [[Western Province (rugby team)|Western&nbsp;Province]]
| province2         = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)|CC=y}}
| provinceyears1    = 1996–2002
| provinceyears2    = 2005–2007
| provinceapps1     = 64
| provinceapps2     = 4
| provincepoints1   = 341
| provincepoints2   = 42
| ru_provinceupdate = 22 May 2013
| repsevensyears1   = 
| repsevensteam1    = 
| repsevenscomp1    = 
| ru_sevensupdate   = 
| coachteams1       = 
| coachyears1       = 
| ru_coachupdate    = 
| sooyears          = 
| sooteam           = 
| soocaps           = 
| soopoints         = 
| sooupdate         = 
| occupation        = 
| school            = [[South African College Schools|South African College High School]]
| university        = 
| medals            = 
{{Medal|Sport|Men's [[rugby union]]}} 
{{Medal|Country|{{ru|RSA}}}} 
{{Medal|Competition|[[Rugby World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2007 Rugby World Cup|2007 France]]|[[2007 Rugby World Cup squads|Squad]]}} 
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1999 Rugby World Cup|1999 Wales]]|[[1999 Rugby World Cup squads|Squad]]}} 
}}

'''Percival Colin Montgomery''' (born 15 March 1974) is a South African former professional [[rugby union]] player. When he ended his international career in August 2008, he held the all-time records for both [[cap (sport)|caps]] and points for [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa's national team]], making him one of the greatest fullbacks of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Percy Montgomery {{!}} Rugby Union {{!}} Players and Officials |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/12597.html |access-date=2021-01-16 |publisher=ESPNscrum}}</ref>

==Career==
Montgomery was born 15 March 1974 in Walvis Bay, present-day [[Namibia]]. He attended one of the oldest schools in the country, [[South African College Schools]], in [[Cape Town]]. He played the early part of his South African domestic career for [[Western Province (rugby team)|Western Province]] in the [[Currie Cup]] and the [[Stormers]] in [[Super Rugby]]; before moving to Wales in 2002 to join [[Newport RFC]], and joined the [[Dragons (rugby union)|Newport Gwent Dragons]] after the 2003 reorganisation of Welsh rugby into a regional setup.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

At the end of the 2004–05 Celtic League season, he returned to play in South Africa for the {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)}} in the Currie Cup and the [[Sharks (rugby club)|Sharks]] in Super Rugby. He later spent the [[2007–08 Top 14 season|2007–08 Northern Hemisphere season]] in the French [[Top 14]] competition with [[USA Perpignan|Perpignan]] before returning to South Africa in June 2008. He then played for Western Province and the Stormers before ending his playing career in May 2009.
[[Image:Percy Montgomery.JPG|Montgomery in action for South Africa|left|thumb]]

Montgomery earned his first [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springbok]] cap against the [[British & Irish Lions]] in July 1997 as an [[outside centre]]. He played at the [[1999 Rugby World Cup]] finals and had amassed 50 caps by the end of 2001. However, his Springbok career stalled after his move to Wales, since at that time players were only eligible for Springboks selection if they were playing domestically. After a change in policy, he was recalled by new coach [[Jake White]] in 2004. He was the leading points scorer in the [[The Rugby Championship|Tri Nations]] in [[2004 Tri Nations Series|2004]] and [[2005 Tri Nations Series|2005]], and currently holds the record for the most points scored in a career by a Springbok rugby player. On 17 June 2006 against [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]], he became the first Springbok player to reach 600 points in his Test career, and on 9 June 2007 he passed the 700-point mark against [[Samoa national rugby union team|Manu Samoa]].{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

On 14 September 2007, Montgomery reached two major milestones in the Springboks' second [[2007 Rugby World Cup Pool A|2007 World Cup pool match]] against [[England national rugby union team|England]]. He became the first Springbok to score 800 Test points and, more significantly, he equalled [[Joost van der Westhuizen]] as the most-capped Springbok with his 89th appearance. He took sole possession of the Springboks caps record on 22 September against [[Tonga national rugby union team|Tonga]]. He was the leading point scorer in the [[2007 Rugby World Cup]], playing a key role in the Boks' successful march to the [[Webb Ellis Cup]].

Montgomery's 893 Test points give him well over twice as many points as the player in second place on the all-time Springboks [[List of leading Rugby union Test point scorers|points list]], [[Hendrik Egnatius Botha|Naas Botha]], who played in only 28 Tests compared to Montgomery's 102, since most of his prime years were in South Africa's era of isolation from world rugby.

On 13 May 2003 while playing for Newport, Montgomery was sent off for pushing a touch judge to the ground, and was later heavily fined and given a two-year ban, with 18 months suspended, for the offence of "assaulting a match official".<ref>Wyn Griffiths: "Rugby Union: Montgomery suspended for pushing touch judge." ''The Independent'', London, 4 June 2003.</ref> He consequently missed the [[2003 Rugby World Cup]] and returned to play in Wales in early December 2003.<ref>[http://www.ercrugby.co.uk/eng/5018_3012.php "Montgomery Returns."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015091948/http://ercrugby.co.uk/eng/5018_3012.php |date=15 October 2007 }} ''European Rugby Cup'' website, 5 December 2003.</ref>

He left Wales to join the Sharks for the [[2006 Super 14 season]] where he played fullback.

For the 2007–08 season, he signed for the French Top 14 club [[USA Perpignan]] and moved to France after the World Cup. In May 2008, he was signed by coach [[Rassie Erasmus]] to return to Western Province after completing his commitments with the Springboks. He was contracted to play for Province in the Currie Cup and the Stormers in the Super 14 to 2009.<ref>[http://www.thetimes.co.za/Sport/Article.aspx?id=775774 "WP sign Montgomery."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629072741/http://www.thetimes.co.za/Sport/Article.aspx?id=775774 |date=29 June 2009 }}</ref>

Montgomery became the first Springbok to earn 100 caps, being awarded a gold cap after their game against the All Blacks in Cape Town, losing 19–0.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/584941 |title=Lauding a win for all reasons |date=17 August 2008 |work=[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]] |access-date=2 November 2011}}</ref>
[[Image:Percy Montgomery against Samoa.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Percy Montgomery running the ball for the Springboks against [[Samoa national rugby union team|Samoa]] in 2007, with [[Jaque Fourie]] supporting on the outside.]]

==Retirement==
Percy Montgomery announced his retirement from international test rugby on 30 August 2008, after the Springboks beat Australia 53–8 in their last game of the 2008 Tri-Nations.<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/4675558a10295.html Percy Montgomery retires]</ref> In May 2009, he rejoined the Boks, but this time in a coaching role as the team's kicking consultant in the run-up to the [[British & Irish Lions]]' [[2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa|tour of South Africa]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/16402?view=news |title=Percy to join Springbok management |publisher=South African Rugby Union |date=10 May 2009 |access-date=12 May 2009}}</ref> Shortly after his appointment was announced, he confirmed his retirement as a player, indicating that he had planned to end his playing career at the end of the [[2009 Super 14 season]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/7180?view=news |title=Monty confirms his playing days are over |publisher=South African Rugby Union |date=18 May 2009 |access-date=21 May 2009}}</ref>

==Post-retirement life==
Montgomery became involved in the tourism industry and supports various charities. In 2021, Montgomery and his long-time partner, Doris van Niekerk founded the successful alcohol brand El Centurion 102.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-15 |title=Alcohol brand |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/finding-percy-montgomery-welsh-rugbys-24495697 |access-date=2021-06-01 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==International statistics==

===Test match record===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%; width:75%;"
|-
! style="width:25%;" | Against
! abbr="Played" style="width:15px;" | P
! abbr="Won" style="width:10px;" | W
! abbr="Drawn" style="width:10px;" | D
! abbr="Lost" style="width:10px;" | L
! abbr="Tries" style="width:15px;" | Tri
! abbr="Conversions" style="width:15px;"|Con
! abbr="Penalties" style="width:15px;"|Pen
! abbr="Drop goals" style="width:15px;"|DG
! abbr="Points" style="width:18px;" | Pts
! abbr="Won" style="width:18px;" | % won
|- bgcolor="#d0ffd0" align="center"
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|ARG}} || 4 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 9 || 6 || 0 || 41 || {{#expr:4/4*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|AUS}} || 20 || 10 || 0 || 10 || 3 || 13 || 31 || 2 || 140 || {{#expr:10/20*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{noflag|[[British & Irish Lions]]}} || 2 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 10 || {{#expr:1/2*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|CAN}} || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|ENG}} || 12 || 8 || 0 || 4 || 1 || 20 || 18 || 0 || 99 || {{#expr:8/12*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|FIJ}} || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 1 || 0 || 9 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|FRA}} || 9 || 4 || 1 || 4 || 1 || 8 || 18 || 1 || 78 || {{#expr:4.5/9*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|IRE}} || 6 || 5 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 10 || 12 || 0 || 56 || {{#expr:5/6*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|ITA}} || 4 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 4 || 0 || 33 || {{#expr:4/4*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|NAM}} || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 35 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|NZL}} || 19 || 6 || 0 || 13 || 1 || 16 || 20 || 3 || 106 || {{#expr:6/19*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | [[Image:Flag of rugby Pacific Islanders.svg|24px|border|link=Pacific Islanders rugby union team]] [[Pacific Islanders rugby union team|Pacific Islanders]] || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 4 || 0 || 18 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|Samoa}} || 2 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 6 || 3 || 0 || 36 || {{#expr:2/2*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|SCO}} || 7 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 19 || 16 || 0 || 101 || {{#expr:3/3*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|TON}} || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 5 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|USA}} || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 1 || 0 || 15 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|URU}} || 2 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 1 || 0 || 15 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}
|-
| align="left" | {{ru|WAL}} || 9 || 8 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 18 || 10 || 0 || 91 || {{#expr:8/9*100 round 2}}
|-
! align="left" | Total || 102 || 67 || 1 || 34 || 25 || 153 || 148 || 6 || 893 || {{#expr:67.5/102*100 round 2}}
|}
<small>Pld = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, Tri = Tries scored, Con = Conversions, Pen = Penalties, DG = Drop goals, Pts = Points scored</small>

===Test tries (25)===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Tries !! Opposition !! Location !! Venue !! class="unsortable"|Competition !! Date !! Result
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{noflag|[[British & Irish Lions]]}} || [[Durban]], South Africa || [[Kings Park Stadium]] || [[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa#Second Test|Test match]] || 28 Jun 1997 || {{lost|Lost 15–18}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{noflag|[[British & Irish Lions]]}} || [[Johannesburg]], South Africa || [[Ellis Park Stadium]] || [[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa#Third Test|Test match]] || 5 Jul 1997 || {{won|Won 35–16}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|NZL}} || [[Auckland]], New Zealand || [[Eden Park]] || [[1997 Tri Nations Series|Tri Nations Series]] || 9 Aug 1997 || {{lost|Lost 35–55}}
|-
| align="center"|'''2''' || {{ru|AUS}} || [[Pretoria]], South Africa || [[Loftus Versfeld]] || [[1997 Tri Nations Series|Tri Nations Series]] || 23 Aug 1997 || {{won|Won 61–22}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|FRA}} || [[Lyon]], France || [[Stade de Gerland]] || [[1997 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe|Test match]] || 15 Nov 1997 || {{won|Won 36–32}}
|-
| align="center"|'''2''' || {{ru|SCO}} || [[Edinburgh]], Scotland || [[Murrayfield Stadium|Murrayfield]] || [[1997 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe|Test match]] || 6 Dec 1997 || {{won|Won 68–10}}
|-
| align="center"|'''2''' || {{ru|WAL}} || [[Pretoria]], South Africa || [[Loftus Versfeld]] || [[1998 Wales rugby union tour of Africa|Test match]] || 27 Jun 1998 || {{won|Won 96–13}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|ITA}} || [[Port Elizabeth]], South Africa || [[Boet Erasmus Stadium]] || [[1999 Italy rugby union tour of South Africa|Test match]] || 12 Jun 1999 || {{won|Won 74–3}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|ITA}} || [[Durban]], South Africa || [[Kings Park Stadium|Kings Park]] || [[1999 Italy rugby union tour of South Africa|Test match]] || 19 Jun 1999 || {{won|Won 101–0}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|WAL}} || [[Cardiff]], Wales || [[Millennium Stadium]] || Test match || 26 Jun 1999 || {{lost|Lost 19–29}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|CAN}} || [[East London, South Africa|East London]], South Africa || [[Basil Kenyon Stadium]] || Test match || 10 Jun 2000 || {{won|Won 51–18}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|ITA}} || [[Port Elizabeth]], South Africa || [[Boet Erasmus Stadium]] || [[2001 Italy rugby union tour|Test match]] || 30 Jun 2001 || {{won|Won 60–14}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|WAL}} || [[Cardiff]], Wales || [[Millennium Stadium]] || [[2000 South Africa rugby union tour of Argentina, Britain and Ireland|Test match]] || 6 Nov 2004 || {{won|Won 38–36}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|ARG}} || [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina || [[José Amalfitani Stadium]] || [[2005 South Africa rugby union tour of Argentina and Europe|Test match]] || 5 Nov 2005 || {{won|Won 34–23}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|SCO}} || [[Durban]], South Africa || [[Kings Park Stadium]] || [[2006 Scotland rugby union tour of South Africa|Test match]] || 10 Jun 2006 || {{won|Won 36–16}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|AUS}} || [[Sydney]], Australia || [[Telstra Stadium]] || [[2006 Tri Nations Series|Tri Nations Series]] || 5 Aug 2006 || {{lost|Lost 18–20}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|ENG}} || [[Pretoria]], South Africa || [[Loftus Versfeld]] || [[2007 England rugby union tour of South Africa|Test match]] || 2 Jun 2007 || {{won|Won 55–22}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|SAM}} || [[Johannesburg]], South Africa || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Ellis Park]] || Test match || 9 Jun 2007 || {{won|Won 35–8}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|NAM}} || [[Cape Town]], South Africa || [[Newlands Stadium|Newlands]] || Test match || 15 Aug 2007 || {{won|Won 105–13}}
|-
| align="center"|'''2''' || {{ru|SAM}} || [[Paris]], France || [[Parc des Princes]] || [[2007 Rugby World Cup]] || 9 Sep 2007 || {{won|Won 59–7}}
|-
| align="center"|'''1''' || {{ru|WAL}} || [[Bloemfontein]], South Africa || [[Free State Stadium]] || [[2008 Wales rugby union tour of South Africa|Test match]] || 7 Jun 2008 || {{won|Won 43–17}}
|}

== Honours ==
;[[Western Province (rugby team)|Western Province]]
*[[Currie Cup]]: 1997, 2000, 2001

;[[Sharks (rugby union)|Sharks]]
* '''[[Super Rugby]]''' Runners-up: [[2007 Super 14 season|2007]]

;[[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa]]
*[[Rugby World Cup|World Cup]]: [[2007 Rugby World Cup|2007]]
*[[Tri Nations (rugby union)|Tri Nations]]: [[1998 Tri Nations Series|1998]], [[2004 Tri Nations Series|2004]]

==See also==
*[[List of South Africa national rugby union players#List|List of South Africa national rugby union players]] – Springbok no. '''651'''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071021164716/http://www.sharksrugby.co.za/default.asp?cId=12225&des=content&cl=yes Sharks profile]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071109094048/http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/Personnel.aspx?pr=106982 Newport Gwent Dragons profile]
*[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/searchresults.asp?ButtonLeap=Africa&linkDescription=%20photos%20of%20African%20International%20Players Percy Montgomery photos & statistics at sporting-heroes.net]

{{South Africa 1999 Rugby World Cup squad}}
{{South Africa 2007 Rugby World Cup squad}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Percy}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of South African College Schools]]
[[Category:Dragons RFC players]]
[[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in France]]
[[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in Wales]]
[[Category:Newport RFC players]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga]]
[[Category:Rugby union fullbacks]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Walvis Bay]]
[[Category:Sharks (rugby union) players]]
[[Category:South Africa international rugby union players]]
[[Category:South African people of British descent]]
[[Category:South African people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:South African rugby union coaches]]
[[Category:South African rugby union players]]
[[Category:Stormers players]]
[[Category:USA Perpignan players]]
[[Category:Villager FC players]]
[[Category:1999 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:2007 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century South African sportsmen]]