One of the great Springbok careers ended in the unlikely soccer city of Newcastle in the north of England yesterday when Jean de Villiers confirmed that his latest injury, another jaw fracture, had ended his Rugby World Cup and his 13 years in the green and gold.
At 4am yesterday morning, De Villiers said he raised a final glass to his career in the best possible circumstances – in his hotel room in the company of his childhood rugby hero Danie Gerber, his sporting hero Ernie Els, and his best friend (and teammate) Schalk Burger.
Gerber, the great Springbok centre of the ’80s, was in England to be inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame and Els, a passionate follower of the Boks, has a home in England.
“Both have become great friends of mine,” a calm and composed De Villiers said. “Danie is the best centre South Africa ever produced and I am honoured to have played in the jersey he once wore. It is funny how things worked out, with Danie and Ernie, two legends, commiserating with me. And Schalk being at his philosophical best for that time of the morning,” De Villiers added with a smile.
Burger said after the game against Samoa that he had feared the worst for his friend when he heard an unmistakable “click” when a Samoan shoulder collided with De Villiers’ jaw in the 60th minute of the 46-6 win.
“Schalk asked me at the time if I was alright, and I said was good to go, but a few minutes later the pain started, and in my heart I knew it was over,” said the 34-year-old, who courageously saw out the game because of injuries to other backline players.
De Villiers said he had long ago embraced the fact that fate cannot be controlled and he balanced the adversity he has endured in the last year (a terrible knee injury and latterly defeats to Argentina and Japan) plus two unrelated jaw fractures with the “absolute privilege of playing 109 Tests”.
De Villiers, a team man to the core, said he did not want his injury to divert any focus from “the only thing that matters – the Boks winning the World Cup”.
“The last time I got seriously injured against Samoa was in a World Cup game in 2007 (torn bicep) and the tournament did not end up too badly for the Boks! As a former Bok now, I am supporter No 1 and I don’t want the guys to feel sorry about me and this week is about the team replicating the urgency of the weekend to beat Scotland.”
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De Villiers said the talk in the early hours was about what would be the perfect ending to a Springbok career.
“I suppose it could not get better than how it ended for a legend like Os du Randt, who won his second World Cup title in his last game (in 2007), but fairy tales are just that. Fairy tales.
“For me, it is just amazing to have played for the Springboks, and after such a tough week following the defeat to Japan, being part of a team that got back on track and played with such pride and determination to win well is good enough for me.
“I will take that. I never gave up on my dreams of fighting for the Boks and whenever I wore the jersey I like to think that I gave it my all. It just did not work out the way I wanted it to.”
De Villiers said that he was flying back to South Africa today to consult a specialist and there was a good chance of surgery to remove his wisdom teeth and insert plates on either side of his jaw.
And then he could return to the squad in England to provide moral support and advice.
But he confirmed that he had played his last game on South African soil.
“I have to talk to my family about playing again, even if it is not going to be at international level, and I have options in England. Maybe I will call it a day, but right now I still feel the urge to play more rugby because when it is finished, it is finished. Then again, I have seen my son 10 days in the last three months...”
De Villiers was asked if he could pick a highlight of his career.
“That is easy,” he said. “Last year when I played my 101st game, I ran out on to the pitch at Newlands with my two daughters, with my wife in the stands pregnant with my son. I scored two tries, we beat Australia with a bonus point, and afterwards I ran around my beloved home ground, with my family and my family away from home, all of us together.” - Cape Argus