/ 12 August 2008

Monty to start for Boks in 100th Test

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has handed the Springbok number 15 jersey to veteran fullback Percy Montgomery, who will earn his 100th Test cap, against New Zealand, in Cape Town on Saturday.

The 34-year-old World Cup winner will become South Africa’s first player to reach the 100-Test milestone in Saturday’s Tri-Nations Test and it comes at the ground where Montgomery played most of his rugby and where he debuted for South Africa in 1997.

Montgomery takes the place of Conrad Jantjes in the starting XV.

There is also a recall to the run-on side for World Cup-winning scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who replaces Ricky Januarie, who shifts to the bench.

In another significant change to the side that beat Argentina in a one-off Test last Saturday, Andries Bekker will partner captain Victor Matfield in the second row. This comes in the wake of Bakkies Botha’s knee injury, which has ruled him out of the remainder of the competition.

Botha’s Blue Bulls teammate and another member of last year’s victorious World Cup winning team, Danie Rossouw, will play from the replacement bench.

Winger Bryan Habana and flank Schalk Burger, both of whom sat out last weekend’s 63-9 win over Argentina, return to the side. Utility back Frans Steyn, who wasn’t considered for the tribute match to former South Africa president Nelson Mandela last weekend, will cover a number of positions from the bench.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry named an unchanged team for Saturday’s match.

South Africa:
Percy Montgomery; JP Pietersen, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger; Victor Matfield (captain), Andries Bekker; CJ van der Linde, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Brian Mujati, Danie Rossouw, Luke Watson, Enrico Januarie, Frans Steyn, Conrad Jantjes

New Zealand:
Mils Muliaina; Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu; Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Rodney So’oialo, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino; Ali Williams, Brad Thorn; Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock. Replacements: Keven Mealamu, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava — AFP

 

AFP