Biography
Joost van der Westhuizen (20 February 1971 – 6 February 2017) was a legendary South African rugby union player, widely regarded as one of the greatest scrum-halves in the history of the sport. Born in Pretoria, he was educated at Hoërskool F.H. Odendaal and the University of Pretoria, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Standing unusually tall for his position at 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in), van der Westhuizen was renowned for his ability to exploit small gaps in defenses. Over a distinguished international career, he earned 89 caps for South Africa, scoring 38 tries and captaining the Springboks on ten occasions.
He was instrumental in South Africa’s historic Rugby World Cup victory in 1995, and also played a key role in their first Tri-Nations title in 1998. His contributions to rugby were recognized with his induction into both the International Rugby Hall of Fame and the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Later in life, after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease, he continued to inspire by raising awareness through his J9 Foundation.
Teams Played For
- Blue Bulls (1993–2003)
- Bulls (Super Rugby) (1996–2003)
- South Africa National Team (Springboks) (1993–2003)
Rugby World Cups Played
- 1995 Rugby World Cup (Champions)
- 1999 Rugby World Cup (Third Place)
- 2003 Rugby World Cup (Quarter-Finalist)
Career Highlights
- Made his international debut in 1993 against Argentina.
- Key player in South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup victory, including a standout performance marking Jonah Lomu in the final.
- Captained the South African Sevens team to the final of the 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
- Helped South Africa win their first Tri-Nations series in 1998.
- Became the first player to earn 100 matches with the Springboks in 2001.
- Captained the Bulls to Currie Cup victories in 1998 and 2002.
- Retired as South Africa’s record test cap holder (89) and record test try scorer (38).
- Inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame (2007) and World Rugby Hall of Fame (2015).
Personal Life
Joost van der Westhuizen’s personal life was as dramatic as his rugby career. He married Marlene, with whom he later divorced, and then married singer Amor Vittone, with whom he had two children, Jordan and Kylie. His personal reputation suffered after a scandal in 2009 involving a leaked video, which led to the collapse of his marriage and loss of employment as a television presenter. Despite these challenges, he publicly acknowledged his mistakes and leaned on his faith for strength.
In 2011, van der Westhuizen was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which significantly impacted his health but not his spirit. He established the J9 Foundation to raise awareness and funds for MND research. He remained active and inspirational until his death on 6 February 2017 at the age of 45, surrounded by his family.