Jean de Villier in action against Samoa on Saturday 26 September 2015.

South Africa’s convincing win against Samoa on Saturday evening, to put their Rugby World Cup path back on track after the shock loss to Japan the week before has come at a considerable cost, with the news that Captain Jean de Villiers has broken the other side of his jaw and will therefore head home back to South Africa and out of the tournament.

As a result of the injury, Jean de Villiers has subsequently announced his retirement from Test rugby.

The silver lining for Jean is the fact that the last time he was injured against Samoa in the Rugby World Cup of 2007, South Africa went on to win the prized title.

Jean de Villiers’ tournament ending injury:

Springbok captain Jean de Villiers has been ruled out of the remainder of the Rugby World Cup after suffering a fracture to his jaw.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer described this latest injury to De Villiers as a massive setback.

Jan Serfontein has been called up and will join the squad in Newcastle on Monday. An announcement on the captaincy for the match against Scotland will be made on Wednesday.

“Jean is not only our captain and 1 of the most experienced players in the squad, but he is also the glue of this team and to lose him is very sad,” said Meyer.

“After injuring his knee last November in Cardiff, he worked incredibly hard to get back to full fitness and the plans worked out perfectly, but rugby is a physical sport and injuries happen.

“We are all very heart-broken for him and we will miss his influence a lot. He has been very unlucky with injuries, but his character clearly showed when he had to go back on the field when Jesse Kriel picked up an injury.

“Jean has fought back from all his injuries and this is the kind of character and fighting spirit we will need to show going forward in this competition.

“While this is a huge and emotional set-back for the team, we will now have to regroup and refocus before we start our preparations for Saturday’s match against Scotland.”

Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts said the fracture was on the opposite side of De Villiers’ jaw to the 1st injury sustained against Argentina in Durban in August.

“Jean took a heavy blow to the right side of his jaw in the 72nd minute of the match,” said Roberts. “X-rays and scans after the game confirmed our fears that it was fractured. The left side of his jaw was fractured on the previous occasion. He will return to South Africa for further specialist treatment.

“Apart from Jean’s injury, there were a lot of bumps and bruises following a very physical match but we will re-assess those in the next day or 2.”

Lock Eben Etzebeth also went to hospital for x-rays. Centres Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel also went off – de Villiers having to replace the bruised Kriel.

Retirement from Test rugby:

Springbok captain Jean de Villiers has announced his retirement from the international arena after suffering a jaw fracture.

The 34-year-old de Villiers, who captained the Boks 37 times, has retired as the 2nd-most capped Springbok captain of all time and is currently the 4th-most capped player in the history of South African Test rugby, with 109 caps.

“When I got injured yesterday (Saturday) and I left the field, I knew that I had played my last Test for South Africa,” said De Villiers, who became the 54th Springbok captain when he was appointed by Heyneke Meyer in June 2012.

“Injuries are part of rugby and I’ve had my fair share, so by now I know how to cope with them. It’s very sad, but life goes on – I need to take it all in and move forward.

“The last time I got injured in a World Cup match and had to go home, was in 2007, also against Samoa and that finished well for the Boks, so hopefully it will happen again.

“I was quite sad on the one hand when I came off the field, as I knew I won’t get the opportunity to play for my country again. Having played for South Africa for 13 years, I’ve been fortunate to experience so many great things and I got to know so many good friends, but you never think it would end like this.

“It has happened now and I’ll be eternally grateful for the time I’ve had in the Springbok jersey. I would like to wish the team all the very best and as a former Springbok, I’m now their number 1 supporter.

“They still have a massive game this weekend, and I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me but rather to focus on the task at hand against Scotland.

“In Heyneke, they have a wonderful coach who knows what it takes to succeed, and who has given me the opportunity to lead my country for the last 4 years. I will be eternally grateful to him.”

De Villiers thanked his family for their role in his career, especially his wife, Marlie, their 3 children, Layli, Lana and Luca, as well as his parents, André and Louise, and his brother, Andre-Louis, with whom he played for the SA Under 19 team in 1999.

“Without my family it would not have made it to where I am today,” said De Villiers.

“Probably my favourite moment as a Springbok was my 101st Test, at Newlands, with my 2 daughters in my arms as we took to the field. We recorded a brilliant victory against Australia, I was fortunate to score 2 tries and afterwards I could play with my children on the pitch.

“But there were many, many moments in my career that I will look back on with fondness. The same goes for all the wonderful friends I’ve made and people I’ve met.

“I’ve had a blessed career and I will be forever grateful for that.”

De Villiers will return to South Africa on Monday to possibly have surgery on his fractured jaw.

“Jean is a true ambassador for South Africa and a person everyone in our country can be immensely proud of. The way in which he never gave up fighting to overcome his last serious knee injury reminded me again how much of a warrior he is and how highly he regarded the Springbok jersey.

“He will go down as 1 of the greatest Springboks ever and, in my eyes, he is probably 1 of the best captains in the history of world rugby, who always put the team 1st and gave his time for any player, young or old without ever changing who he is.

“To see the emotions in the team room when he said his good byes to his team-mates made me realise how well-liked he is, by every person in this squad, but also most other people in the world-wide rugby fraternity.

“Jean enriched my life and I hold him in very high regard, as person and rugby player. Rugby will be poorer without Jean de Villiers,” Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said.

Silver lining:

Springbok captain Jean de Villiers is always one to see a silver lining and that is just what he did when he faced up to the fact his international career was over after fracturing his jaw in the Rugby World Cup match against Samoa on Saturday.

De Villiers pointed out the last time he was injured in a World Cup match against Samoa – where he tore a bicep muscle in 2007 in Paris – the squad went on to record something special.

“I suppose the last time I got injured in the World Cup against Samoa, things didn’t turn out so badly,” De Villiers said of the Boks’ World Cup winning effort in 2007.

“So hopefully we can get the same result this time around. It’s never nice getting injured and knowing I’ve played my last game for South Africa, it’s quite sad.”

After a horrendous jinx that saw him miss out on the 2003 World Cup, then getting injured in the 1st Rugby World Cup game in 2007 and then onwards to go home early in 2011, De Villiers has overcome way too many obstacles to even get here. But now the end is in sight and he will leave the team hotel on Tuesday for a flight back to Cape Town and an operation that waits.

De Villiers was philosophical about the injury and his wretched luck at this tournament.

“I do believe in a lot of things, but I suppose this injury is rugby. I’ve had a few in my career and I know how to cope with it these days. It’s obviously sad, but life goes on and I need to take it all in and move forward,” he explained.

“When I came off the field yesterday, when I was running off I knew it was my last test. I won’t get this opportunity again. Having played for the Springboks for 13 years now, you’ve been through so much, you’ve made so many good friends and seen so many good things. You never think it would end like this.

“It’s happened now and I’m grateful for the time I’ve had in the Bok jersey. I wished the team all the best for the rest of the tournament.”

De Villiers said he would remain the team’s No 1 fan for the rest of the tournament and, depending on the operation, might be back to support them if they go all the way.

“As a former Springbok now, I wish them the best and I’m supporter No 1 now. We still have a massive game this weekend, it’s now about getting the team right, getting the same attitude as we had against Samoa and then getting a win against Scotland.”

The blond midfielder celebrated 109 tests on Saturday, but explained how exactly he broke his jaw in a tackle during the brutal 46 / 6 win over the Islanders.

“It was about the 60th minute and we kicked, and Tim Nanai-Williams got the ball and tried to step. He got the ball and I made the tackle and knocked it on. As he passed, he stepped into me and his shoulder hit my jaw.

“I immediately felt the hit, but as I went to ground Schalk came to me and asked me if I was alright. Afterwards when I spoke to him and Jesse they said they heard the break.

“Initially I thought it wasn’t too sore, but a couple of minutes later I could feel it wasn’t 100%.”

De Villiers will be replaced by Jan Serfontein, who will arrive on Monday at the team base.