Jean de Villiers to captain Springboks at World Cup despite recent jaw injury

Jean de Villiers will captain South Africa at the Rugby World Cup despite fracturing his jaw in a test three weeks ago.

Veteran scrum-half Fourie du Preez and number eight Duane Vermeulen also made the Springboks squad announced on Friday despite not playing an international this season.

Vermeulen, South Africa’s player of the year in 2014, had been a big doubt with a neck injury. Du Preez, a 2007 World Cup winner, has been struggling with a knee injury.

Lock Victor Matfield and flanker Schalk Burger were picked for their fourth World Cups.

South Africa head to the showpiece in England and Wales after an uneasy build-up, where the Springboks lost three out of four tests this year, including a first-ever defeat by Argentina.

Coach Heyneke Meyer has also been targeted for heavy criticism over his apparent failure to pick enough black players, an ongoing issue of contention in South African rugby.

“We’re going to go out there and do whatever it takes,” Meyer said. “I know we can [win] and looking forward to the challenge. I truly believe in these guys.”

The surprises in the 31-man squad were uncapped scrum-half Rudy Paige, fullback Zane Kirchner and prop Coenie Oosthuizen.

The biggest name to be left out was flanker Marcell Coetzee, who had two separate knee injuries this season.