Joost van der Westhuizen
Full names: Joost Heystek
Date of birth: 20 Feb 1971
Place of birth: Pretoria
School: FH Odendaal
Springbok no: 593
Debut test province: Blue Bulls
Physical: 1.85m, 88.9kg
Date of death: 6 Feb 2017 (Age 45)

Test summary: Tests: 89 Tries: 38
First Test: 6 Nov 1993 Age:22 Scrumhalf against Argentina at Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires
Last Test: 8 Nov 2003 Age:32 Scrumhalf against New Zealand at Colonial Stadium (Telstra Dome), Melbourne
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
06 Nov 199322ScrumhalfArgentinaWin: 29-261 tryFerrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresBlue Bulls
13 Nov 199322ScrumhalfArgentinaWin: 52-231 tryFerrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresBlue Bulls
04 Jun 199423ScrumhalfEnglandLose: 15-32 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
11 Jun 199423ReserveEnglandWin: 27-9 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
15 Oct 199423ScrumhalfArgentinaWin: 46-261 tryEllispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
19 Nov 199423ScrumhalfScotlandWin: 34-102 triesMurrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
26 Nov 199423ScrumhalfWalesWin: 20-12 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
13 Apr 199524ScrumhalfSamoaWin: 60-8 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
25 May 199524ScrumhalfAustraliaWin: 27-18 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
03 Jun 199524ReserveCanadaWin: 20-0 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethBlue Bulls
10 Jun 199524ScrumhalfSamoaWin: 42-14 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
17 Jun 199524ScrumhalfFranceWin: 19-15 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
24 Jun 199524ScrumhalfNew ZealandWin: 15-12 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
02 Sep 199524ScrumhalfWalesWin: 40-11 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
12 Nov 199524ScrumhalfItalyWin: 40-21 Olympic Stadium, RomeBlue Bulls
18 Nov 199524ScrumhalfEnglandWin: 24-141 tryTwickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
02 Jul 199625ScrumhalfFijiWin: 43-18 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
13 Jul 199625ScrumhalfAustraliaLose: 16-21 Sydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), SydneyBlue Bulls
03 Aug 199625ReserveAustraliaWin: 25-19 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinBlue Bulls
10 Aug 199625ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 18-29 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
17 Aug 199625ReserveNew ZealandLose: 19-23 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
24 Aug 199625ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 26-331 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
31 Aug 199625ScrumhalfNew ZealandWin: 32-222 triesEllispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
09 Nov 199625ScrumhalfArgentinaWin: 46-151 tryFerrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresBlue Bulls
16 Nov 199625ScrumhalfArgentinaWin: 44-21 Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresBlue Bulls
30 Nov 199625ScrumhalfFranceWin: 22-12 Stade Municipal, BordeauxBlue Bulls
07 Dec 199625ScrumhalfFranceWin: 13-12 Parc des Princes, ParisBlue Bulls
15 Dec 199625ScrumhalfWalesWin: 37-203 triesMillenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
10 Jun 199726ScrumhalfTongaWin: 74-101 tryNewlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
21 Jun 199726ScrumhalfBritainLose: 16-25 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
28 Jun 199726ScrumhalfBritainLose: 15-181 tryKingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
05 Jul 199726ScrumhalfBritainWin: 35-161 tryEllispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
19 Jul 199726ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 32-35 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
02 Aug 199726ScrumhalfAustraliaLose: 20-32 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneBlue Bulls
09 Aug 199726ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 35-551 tryEden Park, AucklandBlue Bulls
23 Aug 199726ScrumhalfAustraliaWin: 61-22 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
08 Nov 199726ScrumhalfItalyWin: 62-31 Dall'Ara Stadium, BolognaBlue Bulls
15 Nov 199726ScrumhalfFranceWin: 36-32 Stade de Gerland, LyonBlue Bulls
13 Jun 199827ScrumhalfIrelandWin: 37-13 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinBlue Bulls
20 Jun 199827ScrumhalfIrelandWin: 33-01 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
27 Jun 199827ScrumhalfWalesWin: 96-131 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
04 Jul 199827ScrumhalfEnglandWin: 18-01 tryNewlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
18 Jul 199827ScrumhalfAustraliaWin: 14-131 trySubiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
25 Jul 199827ScrumhalfNew ZealandWin: 13-3 Athletic Park, WellingtonBlue Bulls
15 Aug 199827ScrumhalfNew ZealandWin: 24-231 tryKingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
22 Aug 199827ScrumhalfAustraliaWin: 29-15 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
14 Nov 199827ScrumhalfWalesWin: 28-201 tryWembley, LondonBlue Bulls
21 Nov 199827ScrumhalfScotlandWin: 35-101 tryMurrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
28 Nov 199827ScrumhalfIrelandWin: 27-131 tryAviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinBlue Bulls
05 Dec 199827ScrumhalfEnglandLose: 7-13 Twickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
07 Aug 199928Scrumhalf (C)New ZealandLose: 18-341 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
14 Aug 199928Scrumhalf (C)AustraliaWin: 10-9 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
03 Oct 199928Scrumhalf (C)ScotlandWin: 46-291 tryMurrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
10 Oct 199928ReserveSpainWin: 47-3 Murrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
15 Oct 199928Scrumhalf (C)UruguayWin: 39-31 tryHampden Park, GlasgowBlue Bulls
24 Oct 199928Scrumhalf (C)EnglandWin: 44-211 tryStade de France, ParisBlue Bulls
30 Oct 199928Scrumhalf (C)AustraliaLose: 21-27 Twickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
04 Nov 199928Scrumhalf (C)New ZealandWin: 22-18 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
10 Jun 200029ScrumhalfCanadaWin: 51-18 Basil Kenyon Stadium, East LondonBlue Bulls
17 Jun 200029ScrumhalfEnglandWin: 18-13 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
24 Jun 200029ScrumhalfEnglandLose: 22-271 tryFree State Stadium, BloemfonteinBlue Bulls
08 Jul 200029ReserveAustraliaLose: 23-44 Colonial Stadium (Telstra Dome), MelbourneBlue Bulls
22 Jul 200029ReserveNew ZealandLose: 12-25 Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), ChristchurchBlue Bulls
29 Jul 200029ReserveAustraliaLose: 6-26 Stadium Australia, SydneyBlue Bulls
12 Nov 200029ScrumhalfArgentinaWin: 37-33 River Plate, Buenos AiresBlue Bulls
19 Nov 200029ScrumhalfIrelandWin: 28-181 tryAviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinBlue Bulls
26 Nov 200029ScrumhalfWalesWin: 23-131 tryMillenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
02 Dec 200029ScrumhalfEnglandLose: 17-25 Twickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
16 Jun 200130ScrumhalfFranceLose: 23-32 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
23 Jun 200130ScrumhalfFranceWin: 20-15 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
30 Jun 200130ReserveItalyWin: 60-142 triesBoet Erasmus, Port ElizabethBlue Bulls
21 Jul 200130ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 3-12 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
28 Jul 200130ScrumhalfAustraliaWin: 20-15 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
18 Aug 200130ScrumhalfAustraliaDraw: 14-14 Subiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
25 Aug 200130ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 15-26 Eden Park, AucklandBlue Bulls
10 Nov 200130ScrumhalfFranceLose: 10-20 Stade de France, ParisBlue Bulls
17 Nov 200130ScrumhalfItalyWin: 54-261 tryLuigi Ferraris Stadium, GenoaBlue Bulls
24 Nov 200130ScrumhalfEnglandLose: 9-29 Twickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
01 Dec 200130ReserveUSAWin: 43-20 Robertson Stadium, UH, HoustonBlue Bulls
07 Jun 200332Scrumhalf (C)ScotlandWin: 29-25 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
14 Jun 200332Scrumhalf (C)ScotlandWin: 28-19 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
12 Jul 200332ScrumhalfAustraliaWin: 26-22 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
19 Jul 200332ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 16-52 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
02 Aug 200332ReserveAustraliaLose: 9-29 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneBlue Bulls
09 Aug 200332ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 11-19 Carisbrook, DunedinBlue Bulls
11 Oct 200332Scrumhalf (C)UruguayWin: 72-63 triesSubiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
18 Oct 200332ScrumhalfEnglandLose: 6-25 Subiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
01 Nov 200332ScrumhalfSamoaWin: 60-10 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneBlue Bulls
08 Nov 200332ScrumhalfNew ZealandLose: 9-29 Colonial Stadium (Telstra Dome), MelbourneBlue Bulls

Joost rugby history : J9 Foundation

Joost has never wanted to do anything else than play rugby. At the age of five he first held a rugby ball and as they say in the classics, the rest was history...

His earliest memories are of rugby and a yearning desire to one day play for his country. “I wanted to be a Springbok more than anything else,” he recalls admitting that to this day misses the game that transpired him to world fame.

Throughout his school career he always played in the A sides, show casing a talent envied by many. In 1988 he played in his first Craven Week tournament before being chosen to represent the then Northern Transvaal at Under-15, Under-19 and Under-20 level.

In 1992 he was chosen to represent the senior team (the Blue Bulls) playing alongside people he had idolized since childhood.

To this day he remains an avid Blue Bull supporter who throughout his professional career never changed his club for greener pastures.

Capped 89 times for the Springboks Joost became the country’s first choice scrum-half in the mid-to-late nineties to early 2000s retiring a rugby legend with a career test try tally of 38 earning him the record of being the scrum-half with the most tries in Test Rugby.

Widely regarded for his aggressive attitude whose uncharacteristically large build for a scrum-half continued to defy the impossible, Joost was a ferocious player whose fearless defence tactics earned him the reputation of a fighter who never gave up and never backed down.

Inducted in the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007 he represented South Africa in three Rugby World Cups in 1995, 1999 and 2003. He is also the only Springbok to captain his country in both the Sevens and the 15-man games in World Cups.

Joost remains extremely proud of his sporting achievements claiming that his life as a rugby player formed the man he is today. “I believe that sport is the best educational medium in life. Through sport I learnt that when you are down, you build character and when you are up then only do you use that character.”

Having retired from professional rugby in 2003 Joost, no doubt, remains one of the most inspirational players in the history of South African rugby.