Jean To Captain Boks
Jun 04,2012
Jean de Villiers will become the 54th Springbok captain after he was named to lead the Boks in the Castle Incoming Tour against England, which starts on Saturday.
The announcement was made on Monday in Durban, where the Springboks are preparing to face England at Mr Price Kings Park this weekend, in the first of three Tests.
The 31-year-old De Villiers, who was named the South African Rugby Player of the Year in 2008, has played in 72 Tests for the Boks. He made his debut in 2002 against France and is the second most experienced member of the current Springbok squad, with two fewer caps than Bryan Habana.
De Villiers is also the 10th most-capped Springbok of all time and only the fourth Springbok Test captain since 2003. John Smit, Victor Matfield and Johann Muller have led the Boks during this time.
“Jean’s leadership qualities are well established and he has always impressed me with his leadership on and off the field,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“I’ve also been impressed by the way he’s led a young and inexperienced DHL Stormers team in Vodacom Super Rugby this year.
“Jean commands respect from everyone in South African rugby and in the short space of time we’ve worked together, Jean has shown that he understands what we want to achieve on the field. He will be surrounded by a core of strong leaders in the squad and we have the utmost faith in them.”
De Villiers said he was humbled by the trust that was placed in him by Meyer and the Springbok management.
“My heart was in my throat when Heyneke told me about his decision on Sunday evening,” said De Villiers.
“This is an honour that is not bestowed upon many people and I really hope I can do my country proud. I do realise there is massive responsibility that comes with this position. The real, hard work only starts now.”
The Springbok captaincy will be reviewed before the start of the Castle Rugby Championship.
Jean de Villiers – Brief biography:
Height: 1.90m
Weight: 100kg
Date of birth: 24 February 1981 in Paarl
Club: University of Stellenbosch
Provincial Union: DHL Western Province
Test debut: 9 November 2002 against France in Marseille
Test caps: 72
Test points: 95 (19 tries)
Representative teams: SA Schools (1999), SA U19 (2000), SA U21 (2001-2002), Springbok Sevens (2002).
Miscellaneous: South African Rugby Player of the Year in 2008; Son of former WP lock Andre de Villiers.
Comments (19)
Jun 04, 2012 at 14:12:26
Hopefully this will appease the currently hysterical Stormers crowd...
Jun 04, 2012 at 15:17:33
Temp measure at best!
He is def not Bok cappie material.
Jun 04, 2012 at 15:40:55
I Agree....this will be temporary!! Spies is deffo the WORST option for South AFrica...not just as captain but as player too.....
I think you guys should go with Straus (Lions) for the Long-run!!!
Jun 04, 2012 at 15:45:29
Nafkob
With all due respect mate...you CAN'T rate Bismarck or Bekker as Captains? Bekker have at most 1 year of rugby left in him. There are players at the Sharks, Bulls and Lions who are 1000 times better then him!
Birsmarck is a wicked hooker..but not a captain.
just my point of view
Jun 04, 2012 at 15:56:25
HM true to form....so where is this guy gonna play? What about Franna? Jean at 13 is a disaster about to happen. Jean at 12 is same as Smit/Bismarck. Methinks he might even consider Franna at 13 at JP at 14. Just looking at his obsession with size I think he will go for:
1. Beast
2. Bissie
3. Jannie
4. Flip
5. Eben
6. Coetzee
7. Willem
8. Spies
9. Hougie
10. Morne
11. Habana
12. Jean DV
13. Franna
14. JP
15. Lambie
16. Chiliboy
17. Coenie
18. Juandre
19. Kanko
20. Ruan
21. JJ Engelbrecht
22. Kirchner
23. If allowed will be Werner Kruger
The starting 15 to bash the English and the bench to run them ragged when they've been softened up. Typical Bools style...
Jun 04, 2012 at 16:10:35
Once again players are going to be played out of position!!!The insanity of that is what sinks the SARugby time and again,Either Frans or JdV is going to play 13 or he might even put Frans at 15-ridiculous! What is Kanko even doing in the squad?He is too small and NEVER passes the ball=tries to bash through allaBeast or Greyling! We have a stack of great 9's(they even leave the country) and he brings Ruaan back! I will wait and see-maybe he sees something I dont-but after the debacle with Snorre I really dont want a repeat performance nor do I think a "Blue Bok" team is the answer.Bring back Jake White!!!!
Jun 04, 2012 at 16:31:35
With all due respect to the contenders he is the best suited to lead the team now!
Smith from Free State will hopefully make a recovery and become the captain for the sake of South African rugby.
Folks also remember that Meyer's selection was hampered by top players injuries and a few surprises.
But come Saturday I trust you will all be 100% behind the Boks.
Jun 04, 2012 at 16:40:11
Thats right Arthur, we always get behind our boys 100%, even though, at frst, we first bitch and moan about the selection.
Jun 04, 2012 at 18:56:25
The most logical decision!
He will make a great springbok captain.
There is noone at present that has his leadership abilities. Its easy to pick a vice captain from the forwards to take control up front eg Spies , Daniels or even Bismark which i do not even want to think about..
Jun 05, 2012 at 06:17:25
Hehehe! HM needs a lesson in man management. First he surreptitiosly suggests that Victor Matfield is front runner for Bokke captaincy but reneges after that plan gets scuppered by an obscure IRB ruling preventing international players from returning from retirement within 6 months (cant believe the coach of SA's national team wasnt made aware of this before he started flapping his mouth). Then the media rumour mill starts touting FdP as Bokke captain, a rumour that was fuelled by HM's ambiguous press releases coupled with an outright refusal to dismiss them early on. Now, we have poor Jean, the third cab in the rank being given the captaincy and 2 faced HM is babbling as though this was his great plan all along rather than a desperate contingency because he couldnt get the players he REALLY wanted. LOL! Shame, poor Jean is being sent to slaughter against the English by being given the poisoned captaincy chalice. After watching the abysmal display from the stuttering Bokkies (LOL), I dont hold out much hope for the Bokke against the Poms. Even with all the stars aligned in SA's favour I wouldnt be too confident if I was Saffa. Home series, No Paddy O'Brian, no Bryce Lawrence, no quota coach either. Hehehe!
Jun 05, 2012 at 13:38:47
What do you care? You seem bizarrely interested in the ins and outs of a rugby nation you supposedly hate, ordinarily we'd be flattered, but then again you are in fact a pathetic Saffer are you not..?
Jun 05, 2012 at 14:08:04
OMG what a plonker. Why dont you cocerntrate on your own nation of south pacifican islanders. New Zealand are on a par with the poms regarding non national players. There was a massive tv debate on how the NZ poach players from other countries because they are so much bigger than the local new zealanders at school level. If you guys had to field a pure kiwi side, i think japan would kick your arse. Lets just see what happens with the SA tests coming up before all your pointless saffa hatred banta starts, you prat!!!!!!!!
Jun 05, 2012 at 18:08:47
It is late in the day to announce the Sprinbok Captain a few days before a 3 series test. Pratfield and FDP should have been out of the reckoning ages ago.
Also to say that the captaincy is only for England- and say that this is not through a lack of faith in Jean Devilliers- This suggests that Meyer still wants FDP to be his bok captain. Or some one else like Shalk Burger.
I do think the boks will win- regardless of how much time the Southern Hemishpere teams have given themselves to prepare- Who agrees these match scheduling? One week preparation, at the very least it should have been two. The Unthinkable just happened to Scotland---- They lost against Scotland in Australia- How much time were they given to prepare for the match- nothing! and ontop of that, they play Wales on the weekend. No much time to recover. With such little time they may as well not have a coach- just show up 5 minutes before the game- with who ever else has been selected for the match day XV.
It is going to be Bulls Rugby Game Plan- Physical domination, in your face rugby. Chip and chase. When it works it is unbeatable- like in the 2009 tri-nations, and the Bulls over the last few years at home.
Ask the Chiefs who made the final in 2010 or 2009- cant remember- expect that it was the highest scoring final in history- with the biggest loss to the chiefs.
Jun 05, 2012 at 13:25:33
jean was very very lucky in regards of being picked let alone being the captain. fourie going overseas and a whole hosts of injuries to the top level of players have aided his cause. he is very much the short term captain and i feel juan smith is the best candidate if and when he is fit to take up the mantle. jean's days are over and we need to blood a replacement very very soon. hopefully someone that can actually attack and generate proper ball for his backline
Jun 05, 2012 at 14:27:53
Juan Smith I doubt will play much professsional rugby in his life again, let alone be bok captain.
Jun 06, 2012 at 11:29:06
his injury is long term one...ali williams suffered the same type of injury and was out for a long long time. but the returned better than ever
Jun 04, 2012 at 14:03:55
If Jean is a temporary captain then Spies will be permanent, the problem with that is all other number 8s(vemuelen;straaus;daniels) are better than him. My long term captain would be Andries Bekker but he seems to be so injury prone so Im leaning towards Bismarc: he is the best in his position and he is the vice captain of sharks. I know he can be ill-desciplined but Schalk had the same label and he has done well.