Since debuting as a wing, Jean de Villiers has 106 Springbok caps. But I suspect he would give all of them back to be skipper on September 19, 2015, as the Springboks run on the field in England to play Japan.
De Villiers has only played four World Cup matches.
In 2007, a torn bicep robbed him of glory in France. In 2011, his forward pass to Pat Lambie (which I saw as perfectly flat) was a lowlight of his distinguished career. On a day when tries were never going to come easily, that was a big moment.
He is one of the most admired players in world rugby; he has a quick wit and an easy smile. But he’s not nearly as mild-mannered as portrayed.
He is a ferocious competitor. He is deceptively physical in his play, in a channel where the contact is colossal (think Jamie Roberts, Ma’a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams), and he is bigger in person than people think. He is a battler.
But he is 34 and last year, in a game without much meaning, he shattered his kneecap. He has since undergone a full reconstruction of his anterior and posterior ligaments.
This week he was running at pace through a Stormers backline session, moving freely, and in no apparent discomfort. His pace was on par with Juan de Jongh, if not Cheslin Kolbe.
“He’s been looking sharp at training,” his coach said. “But it’s definitely not the time for Jean to be part of any contact situations yet. He’s doing really well. In non-contact situations with the team it is great to have him here. There is a nice energy coming from his side.”
Put me down as a guy who was sceptical, and still is, about De Villiers’ ability to handle the first square knock on that knee from the Samoans or David Pocock.
But De Villiers sounds convinced he will be on the plane to London: “I think we can beat any team in the world on any given day and that excites me. I would like to celebrate with them if we can success at the World Cup. I definitely think we’re good enough to. I definitely think we can beat New Zealand.”
Does that sound like a captain riding off into the sunset, or a sportsman confident of one last try?
