SPOTLIGHT: Jean de Villiers has experienced many highs and lows during his professional rugby career and as a Springbok captain, he has seen it all.
Born in Paarl in the Western Cape, De Villiers’ international career spanned over 13 years.
In an in-depth discussion on the Behind the Ruck podcast with fellow Springboks duo Rudy Paige and Juan de Jongh, De Villiers has shed light on the intricacies of leading the Springboks.
De Villiers was named the Springbok captain in 2012 and led the team on 37 occasions.
At the age of 31 and with 72 international caps, he became one of the most experienced players in history to be appointed Bok skipper.
“I always had a dream to play for South Africa, I never expected to be the captain,” De Villiers told the Behind the Ruck duo.
“It surpasses every dream I’ve ever had, and it was such a great privilege and honour to take the captain’s armband.
“I remember staying in Durban at the Beverly Hills Hotel before we [South Africa] had to play England.
“I went down to the managers’ room and Ian Schwartz and Heyneke Meyer were sitting there. They said, ‘We would like to make you captain for the first game’, and I took it.
“And then I went to the room and sat on the edge of the bed thinking: ‘What did you just say yes to?’
“It’s a massive responsibility. Luckily I had 70-odd Test matches and understood the responsibility of being a Springbok, but now it escalated tremendously because you become the face and voice of the team to the fans and stakeholders.
“And that responsibility became sort of burden but I enjoyed it.”
Part of the golden era of the Stormers squad, which included Jaque Fourie, Schalk Burger and Bryan Habana, De Villiers revealed it was much easier leading at the franchise level.
“Being the Stormers captain was far easier, but when I got the captaincy of the Springboks it was a little bit different.
“There was a big transition that took place from 2011 to 2012 within the Springboks environment so you kind of had to step up a little bit more.
“And that also coincided with me becoming a dad for the first time. It changes you as a person
“However, it was good for me.
“I would like to think that most of the time I got it right, not all the time.”
De Villiers also spoke about adjusting to life after rugby, his love for rugby and dealing with injuries.
