See "vector flag" in sprintf:

c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le
"printf qq{perl version is v%vd \n}, $^V;
 ;;
 my $v = v1.23.456.7891;
 printf qq{some version is v%vd \n}, $v;
"
perl version is v5.8.9
some version is v1.23.456.7891
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