Top 10 Interesting Facts about Joost van der Westhuizen

Joost van der Westhuizen. Photo Sourced from Facebook

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Joost van der Westhuizen

Joost van der Westhuizen was a South African professional rugby union player who made 89 appearances in test matches for the national team, scoring 38 tries. He mostly played as a scrum-half and participated in three Rugby World Cups, most notably in the 1995 tournament, which was won by South Africa.

He is widely recognised as the greatest scrumhalf of all time. Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting facts about him;

1. Van der Westhuizen was born in Pretoria, South Africa

Van der Westhuizen was born on 20 February 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa. He was educated at Hoërskool F.H. Odendaal and at the University of Pretoria where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

He played for the Junior Springboks in 1992. He was the son of Mariana and Gustav and was born in Pretoria at school in Transvaal his exceptional athletic talent was obvious and was visible from the onset. 

2. He started his career with the Blue Bulls

After leaving the University of Pretoria, he joined a provincial team, the Blue Bulls, and soon began to attract the attention of the national selectors who were trying to build a side that would contest the first World Cup in which South Africa would compete after their isolation in the apartheid era, a World Cup on home soil.

He could go on to become a legend of the Blue Bulls after his escapades in the side and also a legend for the national side. He was one of the most loved players on the Blue Bulls’ side. 

3. He made his international debut against Argentina in Buenos Aires in 1993

He made his international debut against Argentina in Buenos Aires in 1993, but the following year was still struggling to establish his place in the side that would win the World Cup. He could not get into the starting team and struggled to get game time. 

When the Springboks travelled to Wales, Scotland and Ireland, there were many places still in the balance and Johan Roux was considered the country’s leading No 9. But Roux missed the tour through injury and the young man grasped his chance with both hands. 

4. Joost was married twice in his life and got two children from his second marriage

Joost van der Westhuizen’s first wife, Marlene and he got divorced six years after getting married. After his divorce from Marlene, Joost van der Westhuizen married his second wife Amor Vittone, who was a singer. They had two children together, Jordan and Kylie.

He split from his first wife after three years of marriage in 2009 and also split with Amor split on 2009 after he was caught up in a sex tape scandal, and in June of that year he was admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack.

5. Joost started the J9 foundation

Van der Westhuizen was diagnosed in 2011 with motor neuron disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). After he was diagnosed he started the J9 Foundation, which had as its mission education about the fatal disease, encouragement of research, and support for others with the illness.

The foundation was formed by the rugby legend in aid of those suffering from the same form of fatal illnesses that he was diagnosed with. The foundation is still active to date and works to help those with such diseases. 

Joost created a platform through this foundation to allow people, companies and friends to support the quality of life programs available within this organisation.

6. His ex-wives supported him through his illness despite being separated

Amor, who supported him through his illness despite the couple being separated, paid an emotional tribute to the father of their two children at a memorial service to the star in front of several hundred mourners.

She remembered him as a “handsome man with the most beautiful eyes and with goals, ambitions and a dynamic mindset.”His first wife also went to see him in the hospital on several occasions to give him much-needed company. 

7. Joost won several trophies in his career

Joost won several trophies in his career as a scrum-half. He represented South Africa in 89 test matches, scoring 38 tries, and was a member of the victorious South African rugby team at the 1995 World Cup. He was one of the most important players in that triumph. 

His playing honours include the World Cup (1995), the Tri-Nations title (1998), two domestic Currie Cup trophies (1998 & 2002), and he was a member of the South African Rugby team at three Rugby World cups (1995,1999,2003). 

8. He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame

Joost was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007 and became a member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame when the International Hall was merged with the IRB Hall of Fame in 2014.

Van der Westhuizen captained his country on 10 occasions, scoring a hat-trick in his final match as skipper – a 72-6 win over Uruguay at RWC 2003. He was later inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

He spent his entire career as a scrum-half, despite standing 6 ft 2 ins, an unusually tall height for a player in this position. He was known for finding and penetrating the tiniest gaps in opposition defences

9. He became the first player to represent South Africa at three finals

In November 2001, he became the first person to play one hundred matches for the Springboks. Welsh club side Newport RFC had tried to sign him in 2001, but there was pressure on him to play his domestic rugby in South Africa, to be eligible for selection for the national side.

His selection for the 2003 World Cup made him the first person to represent South Africa at three finals. The team met the All Blacks in the quarter-finals and were beaten. In November 2003, van der Westhuizen retired from international rugby, at which point he was South Africa’s record test cap holder with 89, and record test tries scorer with 38.

He had made 111 appearances for South Africa in total, captained them in ten tests, and scored 190 points for his country.

10. He died of Motor Neurone Disease in 2017 aged 45

Some weakness had first been noticed in his right arm near the end of 2008, but he had put this down to the aftereffects of an old rugby injury. A few months later, Dr Kelbrick, his doctor and a family friend noticed his right arm weakness and arranged for tests. At that time, Van der Westhuizen was given between two and five years to live.

An August 2013 BBC Sport report illustrated the progress of his disease – by then, Van der Westhuizen was using a wheelchair, and his speech had grown increasingly slurred. He died at his home in Johannesburg surrounded by his family on Monday, 6 February 2017, at the age of 45. A public memorial service was scheduled for 10 February at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. 

He is renowned and recognised as the greatest scrumhalf of all time.