Why Meyer is backing Jean
De Villiers came in for heavy criticism following the loss to Japan in the Springboks' opening World Cup game in what was just his second Test match this year, but Meyer has kept faith with the experienced midfielder who shifts to outside centre for the clash with Samoa on Saturday.
Meyer admitted that it was one of the toughest decisions of his career, but pointed to De Villiers' mental toughness as proven by the number of times he has come back through injury in his career as the deciding factor.
"I thought about it and it is not an emotional decision, I thought long and hard and I came to the conclusion that this is a must-win game and who are you going to back?
"I had a long chat with Jean and he just wants to serve South Africa, he said it doesn't matter if he is not in the team it is fine and he will come from the bench or do whatever it takes for the country to win.
"I had a long and hard chat with him and I just decided as a coach, and I will stand by my decision, that if you go into a fight that you have to win that your whole career and the whole country depends on, if I go into that fight I really want to take a guy that has had six knee operations and got injured in his first game for South Africa.
"People said he would never play again but he came back and played 100 games, got injured again just before the World Cup, we have an 80% winning record with him at captain.
"Even the specialist said he won't play again, but he came back and proved them all wrong and broke his jaw. Again people said he won't be here.
"I would rather go with a guy like that into a fight we have to win because I know he wants to play for South Africa, I know he is a fighter and I know it is best for the team, it is not just about Jean it is about what is best for the team," he said.
He compared the situation to the 1999 World Cup when he was assistant to Nick Mallett who took the controversial decision to drop his captain Gary Teichmann just before the tournament.
"It was one of the most difficult decisions in my life to make, you are almost in a lose-lose situation because if you don't pick your captain and you lose they will say you should have picked him and if you do pick him and you lose then you shouldn't have.
"I was part of the 1999 World Cup when Nick Mallett who is a good friend of mine dropped Gary Teichmann just before the World Cup.
"I was involved in that and when we lost the World Cup everyone said that we should have stuck with Gary, so it is always easy," he said.
Meyer added that the team are fully behind the decision to retain De Villiers as their leader.
"It was a tough choice but I know it is the right choice and I back him, I think if we maybe back each other more South Africa would be a much better place with maybe less hate, less violence and more love.
"I am going to go with my captain, I have got total confidence in him and I know it is the right decision for the team.
"If you go into a fight you have to win, I want to go with a guy that knows how to fight, knows how to lead and knows how to come back and more than ever really wants to win because he has never won the World Cup.
"I spoke to the team as well, they back him and they want him so I am going to go with Jean and I am happy with my decision," he said.
