Jean de Villiers has become accustomed to all the curve balls that life throws his way. But the Springbok veteran of 109 matches joked this week: "I choose to take them on the jaw." The 34-year-old went under the knife in Cape Town on Wednesday after flying back from the UK on Tuesday with yet another jaw fracture.It was thought that he had broken just one jaw (having fractured the other against Argentina weeks before the World Cup). But surgery confirmed that both sides were broken.Although last week's injury ended his captaincy and international career earlier than he had planned, the lanky centre was up and about hardly a day after a three-hour operation."I am operation fit," he joked at his home on Friday.story_article_left1Medical jargon emerges easily from his mouth - which is full off braces - as he lists the injuries he has had.Six knee operations, a bicep rupture and shoulder reconstruction are just some of the setbacks and remedies he has faced since his debut in 2002.Despite his positive outlook, he admits he is still a little in denial about what just happened. Yesterday he rounded up a few friends in front of the TV to watch his first match as a former Springbok.This is the kind of life he is looking forward to - spending time with friends and family.Spending time with his wife, Marlie, and the "hooligans" - his three children - is what he is looking forward to most.As De Villiers looks back on his rugby life, he realises that one trait - the ability to bounce back - kept him in the game."Whenever people say it's impossible, I say it's not. I get back on the horse and just go. I take it on the chin - or take it on the jaw - and see what needs to be done to get it sorted out."I have been written off many times in my career; there's always someone other people would want in the team rather than you. It's about being able to prove yourself over and over and over again. That's what we need to do as rugby players."block_quotes_start I try and avoid it as much as possible when I am with [my parents]. I prefer not talking about rugby, I just want to be their son block_quotes_endHis parents, André and Louise, have been a key part of his support system. The former Paarl Gym pupil was raised by a sports-mad family, who also endured harsh criticism whenever their son did not do well."My dad owned a sports shop in Paarl, so I was very fortunate. I always got nice boots, a nice rugby ball, a nice cricket bat."De Villiers was a handy cricketer during his school days, often playing against Schalk Burger, one of his closest friends in the Bok set-up. But rugby won the contest over cricket quite early on."For as long as I can remember, rugby has always been a part of my life."story_article_right2His parents and wife attended almost 70% of his Springbok games, something he cherishes. "While you're in it, you don't realise how fortunate you are, that you've got that [support]."He now has a lot of time for family - but reflecting on the game with them is not one of his priorities."I try and avoid it as much as possible when I am with [my parents]. I prefer not talking about rugby, I just want to be their son. I don't want to be their son the rugby player. I just want to be a normal boy, I'm still my mom's baby."His brother, André-Louis, who is a yoga instructor, among other things, has been one of his pillars of strength. He offered him a few private lessons to stretch "a bit of this and that", which De Villiers found "cool", although "there's no way I'm going to sit there in a class".But fans may see him stride out again, as he has not retired from all rugby. He is still toying with the idea of playing one more season overseas...