Monty Betham

Monty Betham is a rare anomaly of professional sport’s most bruising arenas: a tough-as-teak competitor with a sensitive side.

In 2008 he dazzled the nation with his swivel hipped moves in PVC pants and bright pink sequined tops to cha-cha his way to a podium place on Dancing with the Stars for his chosen charity Plunket.

Along the way the dancefloor partner of series’ regular Nerida Jantti won over a legion of new non-sports fans with his sense of humour, honesty, and humility.

Competition it seems – no matter what the playing field – brings out the best in this Auckland-born father of one.

TV reality show fans got a taste of those qualities in 2007 when Monty plotted and sweated his way to being a finalist on TV2’s Treasure Island: Pirates of the Pacific.

Until then, Monty was best known as captain of the New Zealand Warriors and was one of the most feared, and respected, rugby league players in the NRL.

Monty’s international league career began in 1997 when he captained the Warriors’ Under-19 line-up all the way to the Grand Final.

He was injured in the year of the Grand Final, and didn’t play, but also led the Junior Kiwis.
He spent the next season in charge of the Warriors’ Reserve Grade line-up, before beginning his Century long, 10 try stint with the top Warriors side in 1999. Monty’s tenure climaxed with a Grand Final appearance in 2002.

Monty made his senior test debut for Samoa in the 2000 World Cup, scoring four tries. He joined the Kiwis the following year, notching up 13 games, nine tests and two tries.

He signed with top English side Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in 2006 and bowed out from the game with another 26 games and two first-grade tries on the CV.

The son of legendary Kiwi boxer Monty Betham Snr had earlier been discouraged by his mother from following in his dad’s footsteps. Monty instead channeled his competitive energies into top-level karate, winning the New Zealand men’s title while still at school, among many other titles.

But in 2007, Monty finally – this time against his wife Jaymie’s wishes – stepped into the professional boxing ring, landing a sixth-round victory over 15-fight veteran Vai Toevai in Apia, Samoa.

Monty fought four more times as a professional in 2007 and won all his bouts before retiring later that same year to focus on family and other career goals.

They include managing and fitness training clientele at popular Auckland gym Boxing Alley, and focusing on ways to further an already flourishing TV career.

Away from the dancefloor, Monty can also be seen, and heard, as Sky Sport’s sideline comments’ man at major rugby league fixtures.