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Joost van der Westhuizen, widely considered one of South Africa's finest rugby players, died on February 6 after a long battle with motor neurone disease.
Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The scrumhalf won 89 caps for his country and scored 38 tries between 1993 and 2003.
David Rogers/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
He helped South Africa win its first World Cup in 1995. As the first major sporting event to take place in South Africa after the end of Apartheid rule, the victory was considered a great political, as well as sporting, triumph.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The image of South African captain Francois Pienaar receiving the World Cup trophy from President Nelson Mandela became iconic. The tournament inspired the Hollywood film "Invictus," with Matt Damon playing Pienaar.
JEAN-PIERRE MULLER/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Van der Westhuizen was also part of the South Africa side which won the Tri-Nations -- now the Rugby Championship -- for the first time in 1998, winning all four games against New Zealand and Australia.
Ross Land/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
He played his final Test match for South Africa against New Zealand, in a quarterfinal defeat at the 2003 World Cup. At the time of his retirement, van der Westhuizen was the most-capped player in Springboks history.
WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images/file
After being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011, van der Westhuizen was bound to a wheelchair for the final years of his life. He is pictured in a re-enactment of the team photo from the World Cup victory at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, South Africa.
GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
He poses for a photo in 2014 with three England scrumhalves: (from left to right) Richard Wigglesworth, Danny Care and Ben Youngs.
David Rogers/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Joost van der Westhuizen: The life of South Africa's rugby great
Also known as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or Lou Gehrig’s disease, it attacks nerve cells, causing the muscles they control to weaken and waste away. It causes sufferers’ ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe to severely deteriorate.
Van der Westhuizen was one of South Africa’s finest rugby players.
“Joost will be remembered as one of the greatest Springboks, not only of his generation, but of all time,” South Africa Rugby president Mark Alexander said.
“He also became an inspiration and hero to many fellow sufferers of this terrible disease, as well as to those unaffected.
“We all marveled at his bravery, his fortitude and his uncomplaining acceptance of this terrible burden.
“It’s a sad day for rugby in South Africa, and across the globe, as we say goodbye to a legend of the Springboks. Our condolences go to his family and friends at this sad, sad time.”
South Africa’s sports minister Fikile Mbalula said Van der Westhuizen’s contribution to the national team was “immense.”
“He leaves behind a generation of athletes who aspire for his legendary sportsmanship,” Mbalula said in a statement. “We draw lessons from his fighting spirit.”
Van der Westhuizen (C), during a re-enactment of the team photo from the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.
A scrumhalf, the father-of-two helped the Springboks win the World Cup for the first time. It was the first major sporting event to take place in South Africa since the end of Apartheid rule.
The success was made into a Hollywood movie, “Invictus,” starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Springboks captain Francois Pienaar.
Van der Westhuizen played in the final despite breaking a rib in the semifinal final over France. He made a crucial tackle on New Zealand’s giant try-scoring machine Jonah Lomu as his team went on to win 15-12 in extra time.
