The country’s much-loved rugby legend and Dainfern resident, Joost van der Westhuizen has passed away at the age of 45, according to reports.
This comes after Van der Westhuizen was rushed to hospital on Saturday (4 February) and was reported to be in a critical condition.
Read World record to be broken for Joost
He has been battling motor neurone disease since April 2011 and was seen unashamedly going through the emotions of dealing with the crippling, debilitating condition yet, with his fighting spirit, he continued to live life with the same determination the world knew him for from his days as scrum-half for the Springboks.
Read MUST READ: Joost in hospital fighting for his life
Throughout his debilitating illness, which left him confined to a wheelchair and using a computer to communicate, Van der Westhuizen raised awareness about the disease and formed the charitable J9 Foundation to support his efforts.
Van der Westhuizen played 89 rugby test matches for the country and once held the all-time try scoring record which has since been surpassed by Bryan Habana.
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