Joost van der Westhuizen Fact-file
The South African rugby community is in mourning following the passing of Joost van der Westhuizen, one of South Africa’s greatest-ever Springbok legends. Here is a recap of his remarkable career.
Van der Westhuizen passed away
after a long and courageous struggle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),
a form of motor neuron disease (MND), for the past six years. He was 45 and
leaves behind two children, Jordan (13) and Kylie (10), as well as his father
Gustav, mother Mariana, and brothers Pieter and Gustav.
Joost van der Westhuizen
Fact-file
Date of birth: 20 February 1971 in Pretoria
High school: FH Odendaal, Pretoria
Tertiary education: University of Pretoria
Province: Blue Bulls
Test career:
Springbok number: 593
Position: Scrumhalf (87 Tests) Wing (2 Tests)
Test debut: 6 November 1993 vs Argentina in Buenos Aires
Last test: 8 November 2003 vs New Zealand in Melbourne
Total tests: 89
Test tries: 38 (he became the SA record-holder on 18 July 1998 against Australia in Perth with his 21st Test try and his record was broken by Bryan Habana on 22 September 2011 with his 39th Test try, against Namibia in Albany.
Win ratio in Tests: 60-28-1
Tour matches: 22
Total Springbok matches: 111
Total Springbok tries: 56
Honours: SA Rugby Player of the Year nominee (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 & 1999); SA Rugby Young Player of the Year nominee (1992).