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Former Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen has died after losing his battle with motor neuron disease.
He was 45.
Van der Westhuizen was rushed to hospital in a critical condition on Saturday, his J9 Foundation confirmed.
Despite stabilising and showing signs of acknowledging those around him, Van der Westhuizen passed away this afternoon.
Blue Bulls CEO Barend van Graan confirmed Van der Westhuizen's passing and expressed his condolences to his children, family and friends.
"If there's one thing we can learn from Joost it was his passion for life. That we will never forget."
Van der Westhuizen, who was diagnosed with the illness 2011, played 89 Tests for the Springboks between 1993 and 2003.
He scored a then-Springbok record 38 tries and is widely regarded as one of the game’s finest-ever scrumhalves.
Van der Westhuizen’s sudden decline came after he was making jokes on Friday in an SMS to his old friend and doctor, Henry Kelbrick.
Kelbrick was the first to question Van der Westhuizen’s state of health when he wrestled with him in the swimming pool and discovered the former Springbok had lost power in his right arm.
“On Friday night he complained that he was short of breath, but it was a progressive problem recently. This was why he always had oxygen at hand,” Kelbrick told Rapport on Saturday.
“His spirit never at any stage gave way to his illness. His eyes continued to sparkle and every day his children give him hope to keep fighting against the devastating illness that is motor neuron disease.”
According to Kelbrick, Van der Westhuizen had beaten the disease in the sense that most victims only survive between three and five years after being diagnosed.
“Until a few months ago, he drove with his children to school and fetched them again in the afternoon.
“His glory and fame didn’t matter to him anymore – just the time that he could spend with his children,” said Kelbrick.
