Will De Villiers sidestep Springbok's century curse..??

...The South African captain will become the fifth player from his country to raise three figures when he leads them out for the Rugby Championship Test at Wellington Saturday.

From that group, only lock and teammate Victor Matfield tasted success in his landmark game.

Fullback Percy Montgomery missed his only two shots in a 19-0 humbling from the All Blacks at Cape Town in 2008.

Two years later hooker John Smit missed a key tackle as the All Blacks scored through fullback Israel Dagg in the final play to win 29-22 at Soweto.

And last weekend in Perth wing Bryan Habana was shown a late yellow card, helping Australia storm home 24-23.

Those outcomes don't rattle 33-year-old midfield back de Villiers but he is anxious his teammates don't get carried away by the occasion.

"I've done this 99 times before, so you sort of know what to do," he said.

"But obviously there will be a lot of emotion that goes with it.

"I'd like to think that our team will be well prepared and will be highly motivated to make the Bok jersey proud."

De Villiers' wife Marlie, pregnant with their third child, and his father will be in the crowd to watch one of rugby's most respected players reach a long-awaited goal.

His Test career was just seven minutes old against France in 2002 when he suffered a serious knee injury.

He missed the World Cup a year later due to another knock, meaning there was 20 months between his first and second Tests.

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"At one stage I didn't think I'd get to two," he said.

"I went through a lot of hard times but I believe I got through it stronger."

His 21 Tests against the All Blacks have reaped eight wins, one of the best records held by contemporary players.

He made an instant impact against them in 2004 on the wing when he crossed just 27 seconds into a Test in Christchurch albeit a game the Springboks lost.

De Villiers looks forward to locking horns again this week with long-time midfield foes Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

"Having played against them so many times before. You do build up a bit of a relationship, a bit of a friendship.

"And definitely a respect as well."

MOST SPRINGBOKS CAPS

114 - Victor Matfield (2001-)

111 - John Smit (2000-11)

102 - Percy Montgomery (1997-2008)

100 - Bryan Habana (2004-)

99 - Jean de Villiers (2002-)

89 - Joost van der Westhuizen (1993-2003)

NZN

de Villiers is all class, a credit to the game!
I hope he puts in a performance he can be proud of but I also hope it is not good enough to beat the Mighty ABs.

 JW , I'm not superstitious, as they say to be superstitious is very bad luck ...but you could say DeVilliers is cursed having to face the World Champion ABs on his 100th game...especially in a year when the ABs are delivering record scorelines that have already left the Arstralians traumatised...lets hope JDV isn't forced into early retirement and comes away in one piece ...

Yeah, I hope he comes through it well.
I have to believe the Boks will be pumped for this game. They are coming off a very disappointing loss, have to be mad as hell, know they let the game slip through their fingers and the coach must have been kicking their butts all week. 
ABs have a few injuries so we should be in for a good game.

 JDV is a dinosaur that needs to walk off in to the sun set really soon.

 If JDV had a winning century game it wouldnt quite so bad ..Kudos to him.

It wont change the fact that he is old and cold...How is it said,"Out with the old and in with the new".Bokke doesn't needs passengers and spectators on the pitch.  

So who are all those bewildered young blokes in green then ? With the furrowed brows and the : what do I do now Jean ?" look on their dials .You know the look you see it in the mirror every morning .  

 Don't know what rugby your watching VintageWarplank...I saw nothing of that JDV is old like you.Move on to the next phase please.I believe its called coffin selection or one foot in the grave. Bwhahahahahahahahah

 Now then laddie shouldnt you be putting yer hat on someones bed ?

 When I was a little boy there was a prop forwa rd by the name of Chris Koch - a very good friend of my father.  He was in one game against the All Blacks selected as prop - the player who had most test caps in that position evr for the Springboks and my father took us along tow atch the game.   Those days players played a very few tests per year and nobody ever reached the hundred test mark - but the same problem applied to such players as the case is at present.   By the time they reach that milestone most players are way past their best playing years and often enough only selected on the basis of reputation.
Chris Kock flopped badly that game I referred to - a test at Newlands againstthe All Blacks - and most players reaching the 100 test mark - ie in the twilight of their careers - is unlikely to be a house on fire and being watched specifically will show weaknesses that may have been overlooked previously.   
I know that De Villiers is a hard trier and he will obviously try his hardest - but he has not been really that good this year in Super 15 - so what is to be expected.   We will only know on Saturday.  

 I dunno Mikey ,Ritchie puts the lie to that theory .

 Oumaaik, like Etsebeth he's been out injured & unfortunately match fitness doesn't come in a bottle or gym .

aliceswan.com/2013/09/de-villiers-family-shoot/

 It would be great for Jean to get a win in his 100th test but I am afraid it ain't going to happen.