Give Percy a fair hearing

Two unconnected matters, perhaps, and I had intended this week's column to be pretty much a full defence of Montgomery until Butler put his big left boot in and got it wrong again.

First he claims in the Argus that the future of the Gwent region lies in Pontypool while rubbishing Newport's far more obvious claims.

Then on Scrum V he says Newport aren't trusted by the valley clubs, that for much of their history they have been nothing and they shouldn't have played Montgomery against Ebbw Vale while appearing to condone outright violence on the field at Llanelli.

He's lost the plot completely! But far more seriously, by making allegations and claims on television, not to mention showing a complete lack of knowledge of what is going on in his native Gwent, he should now be removed from the programme.

Let me say straightaway that I have time for Pontypool, lots of it, and admired them tremendously for what they achieved in the 70s and 80s.

Steve Jones is one of the best coaches and toughest taskmasters anywhere in the game, Ray Prosser is a rugby giant, and I grew up learning much from the Pontypool front row, and they know it.

And then there was the Pontypool back row, though rather better when Jeff Squire was at number eight, not Butler.

But for Butler to claim Pontypool is the Gwent base is ridiculous, for they play on a council pitch in the middle of a public park, sometimes used for horse shows, while the clubhouse is a mile away up the road.

Newport possess all the infrastructure, the family village, the hospitality boxes, the stadium, the Gateway and Second Half projects, the list is endless, so Butler is talking rubbish.

And for Butler to say Newport aren't trusted when it is Ebbw Vale who have tried to take charge and dictate over the Gwent region just shows up his lack of knowledge about the area he comes from.

Even worse, he said Newport were insensitive playing Montgomery on Saturday, claiming with some justification this time that you don't put your hands on on official never mind push him over.

But Butler then just smiled after we saw an assault by a Llanelli player on a Neath opponent, inflicting nasty injuries which would have been looked on with the utmost gravity in a court of law. Just a bit of fun really, a couple of lads having a go was the Butler view.

It's about time the BBC got hold of Butler and put him out to grass.

The view of Barry John on Montgomery is one to respect far more than Butler's babbling.

John urges the WRU disciplinary committee to show some common sense when dealing with Montgomery, look at his record and ban him for no more than six months. I would dispute that even.

It is an opportunity for the WRU, via its disciplinary committee, to take a lead and show what they are made of.

They can either set out to apply the letter of the law, follow International Board guidelines rigidly and make an example of the player by imposing a long ban of anything between two and five years, which would effectively mean life, or they can show some compassion.

They can hold the attitude of 'we'll show the rest of the world how tough Wales can be on discipline' or they can illustrate some understanding and set an example of a different kind.

No-one will condone pushing a match official over, but there are witnesses who will claim Montgomery was verbally abused. Will the men in blazers take any notice of that?

Will they pay attention to the player's impeccable record and ask themselves why he reacted in the way he did? Will they conclude that there had to be some major provocation for such a reaction?

Will, indeed, they judge the case on its merits or will they just impose a blanket ban oblivious to anything apart from their desire to set some kind of example to the rest of the world?

What will they do about a case where a red card wasn't even issued to a Llanelli player punching the living daylights out of a Neath opponent?

Are they going to let that pass with a smile, like Butler, while punishing Montgomery?

It's a fine line they have got to tread and, of course, they can't condone attacks on match officials.

But, for goodness sake, look at all the facts, examine all the circumstances, take a player's record into account and don't just abide by a rule book.

That, like Butler, can be very stupid.