Irish flanker CJ Stander paid a personal tribute to former Springbok Joost van der Westhuizen, who died of Motor Neurone Disease at 45-years-old on Monday following a struggle for almost six years.
The former South African scrumhalf was responsible for giving the Munster and Ireland player his first professional contract with the Pretoria-based Super Rugby side The Bulls.
“He was really the first guy I looked up to when I was a youngster,” says Stander in the Irish team base in Kildare. “He was an unbelievable player and even an unbelievable human being. He’s going to be sadly missed.
“It’s tough because you know he gave me my first professional start for The Bulls. He gave me the jersey so I had a bit of a connection with him.”
Stander also recalls how the 6’2’’ van der Westuizen stood up to Jonah Lomu when South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup. It was their first time playing in a World Cup, a consequence of the previous apartheid system and in the final the Springboks faced favourites New Zealand.
Then Lomu was an emerging Kiwi talent, capable of destructively powerful runs from deep and had scored four tries against England in the semifinal. But Van der Westhuizen made several tackles to stop Lomu, including a crunching one just outside his 22m line.
Unknown to New Zealand the Springbok scrumhalf had carried a broken rib into the match, which he sustained in Durban in South Africa’s semi-final win over France.
“He brought something to the game that was unbelievable,” says Stander. “Hard work and natural talent and the way he stopped a massive guy like Jonah Lomu in that World Cup was one of my first memories.
“It was just put your head down no matter what size you are or who you are or what you are, you put your head down and stop those big guys. That’s something I remember.”
Stander’s final conversation with van der Westhuizen was last summer, when Ireland were in South Africa on a three Test tour.
“I spoke to him in June again, when I was there for the Tour,” he says. “It’s tough. Everyone knew the time was coming but I think he is in a better place although he will be missed.”
