Joost - A Tribute to a Rugby Legend
Hailing from the Blue Bulls in Pretoria to smash nearly every South African rugby record, including most Test tries and most Tests, this is a player we felt is more than worthy of recognition here on Rugbydump.
A giant for a scrum half, he wore his heart on his sleeve, commanding respect whenever he played. Towering his counterparts and getting stuck-in more than most, it was Bill Mclaren who once quipped, 'He'd make a great flanker wouldn't he'.
He left his mark on three world cup tournaments with his rugged defence and aggressive, sniping runs whenever he spotted a half gap. His tackle in the 1995 final on the then 'unstoppable force', the rampaging Jonah Lomu, was to go down in rugby folklore, but was to become just one moment in a long list of highlights, including a hat-trick against Scotland at Murrayfield, a Tri-Nations championship and the 1995 World Cup victory.
While far from perfect technically, he is still considered by many to be one of the greatest scrum halfs to have ever played the game; Joost van der Westhuizen will be remembered as a proud man who gave his all for his beloved Springboks. He famously played the epic 1999 World Cup Semi Final against Australia with broken ribs, refusing to go off as he was captaining his country and would fight till the death.
An inspiration to all with his style of play and never say die attitude, he was one of the most respected Springboks, and a legend of the game of rugby.
We've featured Joost as part of our build up to the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa that kicks off in June. We'll be randomly featuring different players, teams, and incidents in our effort to contribute to the hype surrounding the biggest event of the year.
Time: 04:37
Music: When we were young - The Killers
A giant for a scrum half, he wore his heart on his sleeve, commanding respect whenever he played. Towering his counterparts and getting stuck-in more than most, it was Bill Mclaren who once quipped, 'He'd make a great flanker wouldn't he'.
He left his mark on three world cup tournaments with his rugged defence and aggressive, sniping runs whenever he spotted a half gap. His tackle in the 1995 final on the then 'unstoppable force', the rampaging Jonah Lomu, was to go down in rugby folklore, but was to become just one moment in a long list of highlights, including a hat-trick against Scotland at Murrayfield, a Tri-Nations championship and the 1995 World Cup victory.
While far from perfect technically, he is still considered by many to be one of the greatest scrum halfs to have ever played the game; Joost van der Westhuizen will be remembered as a proud man who gave his all for his beloved Springboks. He famously played the epic 1999 World Cup Semi Final against Australia with broken ribs, refusing to go off as he was captaining his country and would fight till the death.
An inspiration to all with his style of play and never say die attitude, he was one of the most respected Springboks, and a legend of the game of rugby.
We've featured Joost as part of our build up to the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa that kicks off in June. We'll be randomly featuring different players, teams, and incidents in our effort to contribute to the hype surrounding the biggest event of the year.
Time: 04:37
Music: When we were young - The Killers
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32 Comments:
Great tackle on Lomu!!!!
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 1:41 pm
I thought he was a fly-half
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 1:51 pm
Just one of those players you could never like but couldn't help admiring either. Fine player, even better competitor.
Deserves all the credit he gets....but God I hated him....
By Kerivoula, at February 06, 2009 2:09 pm
Great player, good video...
GOD-AWFUL MUSIC.
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 2:24 pm
@Kerivoula
You summed it up perfectly...
I hated him as well.
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 2:31 pm
love the last clip where all is kicking-off but he just looks ashamed of the players around him and that seems to aggravate the other 9 more.
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 2:46 pm
nice vid rd!
but it still wonder wether players like him, playing their rugby about 10 years ago or even earlier, would still be able to compete nowadays :)
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 2:57 pm
True True Legend
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 3:01 pm
Joost had everything a pro player needs and he had them in bucket loads...
Unbelievable acceleration from a standing start...above average top speed...gazelle like adjility...deceptivly huge strength on his feet...a brilliant rugby brain and a NEVER EVER say die attitude!
He was one of those players like Christian Cullen who could make a gap appear from nowhere because of his ability to read a game and his opponents around him and Joost always backed himself to make that half gap once it opened!
Awesome video...thanks RD...brough back many memories from my younger days as he was one of my hero's for sure...
Although I agree with Barbeto the soundtrack was not your best.
By durrie, at February 06, 2009 3:35 pm
Makes modern scrumhalfs look like crap..
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 4:05 pm
Great Song!
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 6:46 pm
He was an absolutely fantastic player who had the heart of a lion.
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 7:05 pm
My hero and the best scrumhalf this world has ever seen.
In the '99 RWC semi final when Tim Horan was at his best he ran through the whole Springbok defence only to come to Joost who smashed him.
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 7:19 pm
what song is that it's pretty nice...also this guy ROCKS!!
By poccio, at February 06, 2009 8:23 pm
great player, for sure!!!
ps: someone can tell me what is this song? thx
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 8:24 pm
Fantastic player, god i hated him though!!!.
But scrum half this world has ever seen.......don't think so somehow, he was way off the level of Gareth Edwards
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 8:30 pm
Best scrum half of all time! No question
Beats Edwards because of his size, strength and his defense
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 8:42 pm
Fantastic player... 34 test tries for a half back? That's incredible.
Lol look at Bryon Kelleher at the end... tosser.
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 10:04 pm
he was a legend wasnt he
great vid RD - true champ
hats of to him -
Did any of you queers who "hate" him ever meet him ?
He came from a world tougher than yours and was a world champion. he faced adversity far tougher than yours or are u just upset because he beat ur team - u tools probably hat GG and Justin Marshall also
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 10:47 pm
has someone been drinking convict? or just a bit tired and emotional lol!!
Great player, encapsulates South African rugby, hard, direct and with an attitude to boot. Ranks up there for me with Korne Krige for hard South African players. Loved to see them play, and always enjoyed watching a well earned victory against teams with such players in them. As you knew it would have been a hard game.
By Anonymous, at February 06, 2009 11:56 pm
How did he come from a tougher world ?
Unbelievable speed, strength and vision ! Fantastic player.
By Anonymous, at February 07, 2009 2:00 am
He came from South Africa in the 90's - you think white South Africans were admired in this time period - you morons
jamestheconvict was admiring his determination as a SA sportsmen as well as his clear abilities
By Anonymous, at February 07, 2009 2:08 am
why can't people put their opinion without calling other people morons and tools?? it's really childish!
By Anonymous, at February 07, 2009 4:30 am
y cant Radlo shut up
By Anonymous, at February 07, 2009 4:39 am
although i remember him being responsible for this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwDTIiGSEYs
By Don, at February 07, 2009 5:04 am
anonymous "y cant Radlo shut up"
what a naughty little kiddie
By Anonymous, at February 07, 2009 9:46 am
lol @ Don.. true, but hey, it was entertaining. :P
Awesome player.. amazing 'heart' and tough as sh*t.
He also worked really hard at aspects of his game that weren't perfect, and improved them over the years. Inspirational legend.
By Anonymous, at February 07, 2009 10:36 am
Great player............lame video. It didn't capture how good he really was.
By Anonymous, at February 07, 2009 5:09 pm
Joost doesn't have most Test - Monty does. Thats a legend. For all Joost playing abilities he just had nothing off the field.
By Medusa ain't got nothing on me, at February 17, 2009 6:51 pm
Awesome player and really nice in person, he played in an old boys xv scot vs sa at my uni last year, absolute legend, totally my hero as a boy :)
By Neil, at May 18, 2010 5:58 pm
Very inspirational
By Ammon, at May 23, 2010 9:17 am
He is one of my all time favourite players but shame about his off field stuff
By rosh, at June 04, 2010 12:37 am
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