Joost van der Westhuizen

For those of you who aren't rugby fans, you probably don't recognise the name, Joost van der Westhuizen.  If you're a South African, you certainly will.

 

In November 1993, van der Westhuizen made his debut as a Springbok, playing at scrum-half, in Buenos Aires, when South Africa took on Argentina, and the international career of one of Rugby's greatest ever players began.

 

In 1995, he was part of the South African team that won the Rugby World Cup playing on home soil.   In a thrilling final against New Zealand, played in front of President Nelson Mandela, van der Westhuizen made a try saving tackle on the All Blacks juggernaut that was Jonah Lomu, after he had bulldozed his way through most of the Springboks team.  People still talk to him about "that tackle".

 

In 1997, he was a member of the South African team beaten by the British and Irish Lions, and was one of the players who fell for an outrageous dummy, by Matt Dawson, the Lions scrum-half, who then went over in the corner to score a crucial try and seal the series.

 

In 1999, van der Westhuizen, was the captain of the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup, where they narrowly lost the final to Australia.

 

When he eventually played his final game in Melbourne,  in 2003, against New Zealand, he had done everything, and won virtually everything, in the game.  He had 89 international caps for South Africa, a record for a South African player that still stands, and had scored a record 38 international tries.

 

He had speed, strength, skill and an incredible will to win.  He was the sort of player you would pay good money to see, but hated seeing rip through your team.

 

In a country that is Rugby mad, van der Westhuizen, was second only to God - but only just.

 

In 2008, he noticed some weakness in his left arm, and assumed it was an old Rugby injury.  Later that year it was obvious, it was more that that, and after seeing his personal doctor, was diagnosed, in 2011, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, one of the most common forms of motor neurone disease.

 

Also, in 2008, he suffered a suspected heart attack, and was then involved in a sex and drugs scandal, that cost him his job as a TV sports pundit, and his marriage.  Living a high-speed life as a reaction to his deteriorating health, actually gave him the insight to see what was important and what really mattered.

 

On diagnosis, he was given between two and five years to live.  His body, once his greatest asset, is now failing him.  His speech is slurred and his body is disobedient.  He is now confined to a wheelchair.  But his mind is still as sharp as ever.

 

Joost van der Westhuizen - as a Springbok, and as he is today

 



He now spends his time with his two children, and raising awareness of Motor Neurone disease, through his J9 Foundation. 

 

He has great memories of his career and acknowledges that he receives great support from the Rugby community, with many international team mates and opponents.  Later this year he hopes to travel to the UK, to watch the Springboks take on Wales and Scotland, in the autumn internationals.

 

This is a man I greatly admired for his ability on a Rugby pitch.  It is sad to read about someone who has been so active, so skillful, so brilliant, who is then brought down by the frailties of his own body, the one thing that he probably thought he could always rely on.

 

He admits to many highs and many lows, but having come through these he's is able to see life in a different light, and to focus on what's important - his children, his faith and his work with his foundation.

 

He is now 42.