Jean: No centurion sideshows please
South African captain Jean de Villiers has mixed emotions heading into his 100th Test on Saturday - honoured to be a centurion but not sure he wants to reach the milestone against New Zealand.
The popular de Villiers will become only the fifth Springbok to play 100 Tests, when he leads the side against the All Blacks in their top of the table Rugby Championship Test.
But the 33-year-old said he does not want the record to distract from the tough task his team faces.
"It's a huge honour and I'm very humbled by all the support I've received," he said Thursday, ahead of starting his 85th appearance in the Springbok midfield after also making 15 appearances as a wing.
"But I can honestly say that I almost would've preferred if this was only a regular Test. We've got a massive challenge this weekend and the belief is there that we can win. We've got to put that into action on Saturday."
De Villiers, who will be captain for the 28th time, has won praise not only from the Springboks but also the All Blacks.
"There's not many I respect more in terms of how good a player he is, but also off the field he was probably the first player I really struck up a relationship with" said 79-Test All Blacks centre Conrad Smith.
"After games he was always quick to come and have a word with me right from the start."
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen spent time with De Villiers in recent years when coaching the Barbarians and said he "really enjoyed" his company.
"It's a marvelous achievement, especially when you see the way he started his career. He's shown a lot of character and that's the character they have throughout their team," he said.
Due to two serious injuries - the first which saw his Test debut last only seven minutes and the second which cost him a spot in the World Cup squad in 2003 - De Villiers' second Test in the green and gold was more than 18 months after his debut, on 17 July 2004 against the Pacific Islanders in Australia.
It was during that Test that De Villiers scored the first of his 25 Test tries - which places him joint-fifth of the list of all-time Springbok try-scorers with Percy Montgomery, South Africa's first Test centurion.
"At one stage I honestly didn't know when, or if, I would play in my second Test for the Springboks," De Villiers said at the team's training base in Wellington this week.
"My luck with injuries changed over the years and I almost can't believe that I'm now on the cusp of 100 Tests for the Springboks.
"It's a huge honour and I'm very humbled by all the support I've received. But I can honestly say that I almost would've preferred if this was only a regular Test. We've got a massive challenge this weekend and the belief is there that we can win - we've got to put that into action on Saturday."
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer described de Villiers as not just a good player but a top quality captain.
"When the big names in South Africa are mentioned, Jean will forever be among them," Meyer said.
"Jean is also a true ambassador for South Africa. To see how he is respected all over the world, is truly humbling and our fellow countrymen can be proud of him."
Two of South Africa's other centurions, Victor Matfield (114 Tests) and Bryan Habana, who reached the milestone last weekend against Australia, will also be playing Saturday.
The other two to reach 100 Tests are John Smit (111) and Percy Montgomery (102).
De Villiers thanked his wife, Marlie, for her unwavering support over the course of his career, as well as his parents, Andre and Louise, and brother, Andre-Louis, with whom he played for the SA Under-19 team in 1999.
"I've been privileged to have great support from my family through the years and more recently, from my wife - she's been a rock and if you think playing 100 Tests is tough, you've not spent months on your own raising two beautiful daughters while your husband flies around the world playing rugby," said De Villiers.
Apart from playing in his 100th Test for the Boks, it will also be De Villiers' 28th as captain after he was appointed by Heyneke Meyer in June 2012.
It places fourth on the list of most Tests as Springbok captain, behind John Smit (83), Gary Teichmann (36) and Francois Pienaar (29).
De Villiers, who attended Paarl Gymnasium and Stellenbosch University, shares the South African record for most Tests as a Springbok centre combination with Jaque Fourie (29).
Apart from representing South Africa at every level in international rugby, he's only played for Maties, Western Province and the Stormers in South Africa, and spent one season with Munster in Ireland.
Honours and accolades
* 1999: SA Schools
* 2000: SA U19 (played alongside his brother Andre-Louis)
* 2001-2002: SA U21 (winners of the IRB U21 World Cup tournament in 2002), Springbok Sevens (11 tournaments)
* 2008: SA Rugby Player of the Year, Players' Player of the Year
* 2012: Appointed 54th Springbok captain
* 2013: SA Rugby Player of the Year