Jean de Villiers and rugby World Cups – the two just don’t seem to want to sit at the same table.

2003 saw a knee injury prevent JDV from taking part in the tournament, and then tragedy stuck again in 2007 when he tore his bicep 40 minutes into the Springboks’ opening game. He did manage to take part in 2011, but we’re not going to mention anything about that tournament and us being robbed in the World Cup quarters by some dodgy refereeing. Yeah, we won’t mention it.

Now JDV suffered an horrific injury on the end-of-year tour to Europe last November, and is facing another race for fitness to make this year’s World Cup. Here’s Shoestring Productions:

As if all the challenges he has faced in his career were not enough, Jean de Villiers now faces one final race against time. Lying in agony on the Cardiff turf in November, he instinctively knew his prognosis, knew that it would take more courage, determination and resolve than he had ever mustered to make himself available for selection for the 2015 World Cup.

Being the man that he is, he knows that there are no guarantees, not in fitness or selection. But there is nothing like a goal, a visible finish line to motivate him to make the final chapter in his story a successful one. Although surrounded by a team of experts who share the goal with him, the journey will undoubtedly be a lonely one, the fuel, the desire and the introspection coming from him and him alone.

It is a journey rugby supporters will walk with him in spirit, and one which we will document every step of the way.

Come on JDV, you got this amigo. You can enjoy the trailer for part one of the documentary above, which will be screened on Supersport One on Thursday 23 April.

[source:shoestring]