Veteran World Cup-winning fullback Percy Montgomery has signed a one-year contract with Western Province — returning 'home' after his travels took him to Newport in Wales and the Sharks in Durban.

Montgomery, who was the leading goal-scorer at last year's World Cup in France and is just a handful of games short of becoming the first South African to play in 100 Tests, is hardly likely to play for the WP Currie Cup side due the heavy Springbok schedule over the next four months.

However, it is very likely that he was snapped up by the Newlands-based union to bolster the Stormers' Super 14 campaign next year.

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will be relying on the fullback to keep the World Cup champions on a winning streak in the upcoming Tests.

The former South African College Schools (SACS) schoolboy graduated through the junior ranks in Western Province before he made his debut for the 'Streeptruie' in 1996. One year later he was capped for the Boks against the British and Irish Lions in Durban as a centre.

After a seven-year stint for Western Province and the Stormers, Montgomery left for Wales to play for Newport RFC and Newport Gwent Dragons until he returned to South Africa for a two-year stint with the Sharks.

He was back in Europe at the end of last year, this time with French outfit Perpignan.

WP spokesman Gavin Lewis has also confirmed the signing of former Cheetahs flyhalf Willem de Waal from French club Narbonne.

De Waal, a prolific points scorer, will be a most welcome acquisition since WP's first-choice flyhalf Peter Grant is likely to be with the Springboks in the next few months.

As is the case with Montgomery, it will be a homecoming for De Waal, who represented WP at the Under-18 Craven Week in 1996 and also played for the Under-21 team in 1999.

WP have also signed up Springbok AJ Venter from the Sharks.

Venter, normally a loose forward can also double up as a lock, and his first game for his new province is likely to be against the Sharks next month.

WP wing Sireli Naqelevuki has been released to represent his country, Fiji, in the Pacific Nations Cup next month.

The Stormers' Kiwi flyhalf Tony Brown has returned to play club rugby in Japan.

The Springboks have made heavy demands on WP player resources as 10 players have been included in the latest national squad for the upcoming Tests against Wales and Italy.

They are Andries Bekker, Gcobani Bobo, Tonderai Chavhanga, Bolla Conradie, Jean de Villiers, Peter Grant, Conrad Jantjes, Ricky Januarie, Brian Mujati and Luke Watson.

New WP coach Allister Coetzee will also have to do without the services of four other players who have been chosen for the Emerging Springboks squad that will campaign in Romania next month.

They are Isma-eel Dollie, Morgan Newman, Richard Lawson and Jacobie Adriaanse.

Newman and Lawson were named in the WP side to play against the Border Bulldogs in East London on Saturday, but will join up with Chester Williams' Emerging Boks instead.

365

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