Percy is Province's ace up the sleeve
Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:58
Springbok veteran and World Cup winner Percy Montgomery is set to make his 'comeback' for Western Province when they face the Lions in a Currie Cup crunch match at Newlands on Saturday.
The game will decide the fourth and final play-off position - with WP having to beat the Lions by 19 points or more and prevent the Johannesburg-based outfit from getting a bonus point to advantage. Any bonus point(s) for the Lions or defeat by less than 18 points will see them advance.
With so much riding on the game Province coach Allister Coetzee is now toying with the idea of using Montgomery to help his team secure the big win.
Montgomery, who retired from international rugby recently, last played for Western Province in 2002, while his last appearance on the Currie Cup stage was for the Sharks in 2005. The Boks were withdrawn from Currie Cup action in 2006 and 2007.
Although Coetzee was forced to name Montgomery in his matchday 22 against Boland last week - as a result of captain Jean de Villiers' late withdrawal through a stomach virus - the 34-year-old did not take to the field.
That means, should he feature in the game, Montgomery will make his comeback in WP colours after six-year absence - which has seen him leave South Africa to play in Wales, return to join the Boks and Sharks, win a World Cup and this year returned to Cape Town.
It will also be an emotional moment for Montgomery, as it is most likely to be his last match ever for WP at Newlands.
Although he will play for the Stormers next year, this is set to be his final Currie Cup season.
No doubt Coetzee may be looking at the potential of using Montgomery's accurate boot in WP's efforts to beat the Lions by that 19-point margin.
* Meanwhile the WP coach will be sweating over the fitness of star flyhalf Peter Grant, who left the field with an ankle injury in the 23-7 victory over Boland Cavaliers at the weekend.
Grant did not train with Province at their Bellville base on Monday.
Team manager Chippie Solomons said Grant went for a scan on the injured ankle on Monday. He said the Province medical team and the coaches would have a look at the situation on Tuesday and a call would be made thereafter.
The coach, Coetzee, was hopeful that Grant would be cleared to play.
"Somebody stood on his ankle during the game and he just couldn't continue playing. But there is nothing seriously wrong. He should be fine to play on Saturday," Coetzee said in an interview on the Province website.
Jean de Villiers, Brian Mujati, Ricky Januarie and Adriaan Fondse, who all missed the Boland game at Wellington, took part in the training session on Monday.
Centre De Villiers had to withdraw on the morning of the match because of a severe bout of gastric flu.
Prop Mujati was recovering from a bicep injury, while lock Fondse had a stomach muscle injury.
Scrumhalf Januarie tied the knot in Johannesburg but should be in the starting XV against the union where he made his name as a provincial player.
Mujati is expected to take over from the promising JC Kritzinger, who had another solid outing against Boland. But Coetzee was welcoming back Mujati with open arms.
"The Lions have a helluva scrumming pack, so Brian's experience would be welcomed. He will face another Springbok in Heinke van der Merwe, so it will be good to have someone like Brian.
"He has also played for the Lions before, so he knows their guys well. And, to be honest, Brian is not likely to play 80 minutes, as he has missed the last two games. So it is good for us to have a guy like JC coming off the bench. JC has been doing well."
