On the eighth anniversary of Joost van der Westhuizen&#;s death, relive nine of the best moments from the legendary Springbok scrumhalf&#;s career.
Impressive introduction
In November , Joost made his Test debut for the Springboks against Argentina in Buenos Aires at the age of 22, scoring a crucial try that helped the visitors claim a victory. He dotted down again in the Boks&#; series-clinching victory a week later.
Bringing down the &#;Big Fella&#;
Much was made of the All Blacks&#; m, kg winger Jonah Lomu in the buildup to the World Cup. Lomu lived up to the hype over the course of the tournament by literally running over defenders on his way to the tryline. But when New Zealand faced South Africa in the final, the hosts managed to shut the big man down. The All Blacks unleashed Lomu after winning a scrum and while he was initially able to beat two defenders, the cover defence was simply too good. Lomu looked to go inside Van der Westhuizen, but the Bok No 9 drove his shoulder into the tackle and hung on for dear life. The Boks went on to win the game , as well as their first global title.
Hat-trick douses Dragons&#; fire
In , Joost scored the first of hi
Biography
Joost van der Westhuizen is regarded by many as the best scrumhalf to have worn the Springbok jersey, while others consider him the best scrumhalf of all time. His ability to read the game and identity opportunities was incredible.
Whatever your thoughts are on the matter, his impact on Springbok rugby will forever highlight what it means to be the best.
Joost Heystek van der Westhuizen was born in Pretoria on February 20 He passed away when he was 45 years old on February 6
The years leading up to his death were fraught with suffering from motor neurone disease. Knowledge of his condition became public in As it progressed it limited him to a wheelchair and slurred his speech.
But that is not the memory that sits at the heart of South Africans and those around the world who reflect on the legendary scrum half.
The memory of Joost van der Westhuizen is that of explosive breaks from the ruck, chips and chases, and gut-wrenching tackles.
He honed his skills at his hometown franchise, The Bulls, and stayed there for the duration of his club rugby career ( - ).
One thing that always stood out about the Springbok scrumhalf was that he was meters tall, an usu
OBITUARY: Courageous Joost van der Westhuizen changed rugby
He faced up to the physical threat Lomu posed with courage and single-mindedness. It was the same way he approached life after he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND) in
Van der Westhuizen did not shy away from his condition and instead embraced the challenge of trying to find a solution while also raising awareness for other sufferers of the disease through his J9 Foundation. He tackled it head on&#; just has he cut Lomu down. Both are now gone&#; but neither will be forgotten as much for their rugby exploits&#; as for their courage and humility in the face of terminal illness.
Ultimately Joost lost the war against MND&#; when he died on Monday surrounded by family and friends&#; but he won many battles along the way.
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.
He was rushed to a Johannesburg hospital on Saturday and was placed on life support. Van der Westhuizen is the second player from the World Cup-winning Bok team to pass away&#; following flank Ruben Kruger who died of bra
Jonah Lomu&#;s Words To Joost Van Der Westhuizen Were Testament To A Sporting Giant
"I'm sure you're going to keep fighting on, which I am doing too. And I think that's a bond that we will always have."
The true sporting icons are athletes that transcend their chosen profession, or any game. The greats - think Ali, think Pele, think Narvatilova and Babe Ruth - become more than sport; they ingrain themselves within society as a deeper cultural presence.
12, kilometres west of New Zealand, there remains folk to whom the noun 'Lomu' translates as both 'the legendary Kiwi 11' and, simply, 'something massive'.
The magnitude of the Jonah Lomu legend can perhaps be best measured by the notion that these South African rugby fans still bluster about the fact that the great man never crossed the whitewash in 13 appearances against the Springboks - the only opposing outfit, along with Wales, whose defence was never decimated by the flying bulldozer from Auckland.
Last year, just months before his untimely passing, the try former All Black returned to the Rainbow Nation to reconvene with the man who, in effect, conceived that very record; former Bok scrum-half Joost van der Wes
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