Joost van der Westhuizen
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| Born | Joost van der Westhuizen Heystek 20 February 1971 Pretoria, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Died | 6 February 2017 (aged 45) Johannesburg, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 88 kg (13 st 12 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hoërskool F.H. Odendaal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Pretoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Businessman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Joost van der Westhuizen (20 February 1971 – 6 February 2017) was a South African former rugby union player. He played as a scrum-half for the national team. He played in the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cups.
On 12 May 2011, van der Westhuizen's publicist announced that he had a muscle-related neural disease. It was believed to be a form of motor neurone disease. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic in the United States[1] have since confirmed that he had motor neurone disease. They believed he had only a 20% chance of living for two to five years.[2]
On 6 February 2017, van der Westhuizen died at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa from complications of motor neurone disease, aged 45.[3]
References
- ↑ Suttell, Scott (28 July 2011). "If you're flying out of Cleveland or Akron, you're probably paying more". Crain's Cleveland Business. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- ↑ Doctor confirms Joost's fears, 27 July 2011
- ↑ "BREAKING: Joost van der Westhuizen has died". Time live. Times Media Group. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
Other websites
- Bates, Rupert (2 September 2007). "Joost van der Westhuizen wary on South Africa". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
- "Joost van der Westhuizen". bbc.co.uk. 24 September 2003. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
- "Joost van der Westhuizen". rugbyhalloffame.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
- "Joost Van der Westhuizen". scrum.com. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
- J9 Foundation Archived 2013-11-12 at the Wayback Machine