Jean de Villiers is set to return to the playing field for the Springboks against the World XV at Newlands on 11 July.

It would be a miraculous comeback for the Bok captain, who suffered what appeared to be a career-ending knee injury against Wales in Cardiff last November.

De Villiers would probably come off the bench for the Boks in their first game of 2015, before playing in Western Province's two Currie Cup warm-up matches against the Pumas and EP Kings.

'I’m definitely going to be playing in July. Where exactly I don’t know yet,' De Villiers told SuperSport.com. 'Obviously the squad gets together next week and there I might get a bit more clarity what the plan is.

'From a Test point of view you obviously don’t just walk in to a Test match. The World XV game, not being a Test match, and there being less pressure in that game, may just be a good possibility to be introduced in there from the bench or something. Then after that Western Province are playing two warm-up games and I’m looking to play in those warm-up games.'

Read more about De Villiers's fightback in the latest SA Rugby magazine

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images