Former South Africa Rugby Union Captain Joost van der Westhuizen Dies at Age 45

Former South Africa rugby union captain Joost van der Westhuizen has died aged 45.

The 1995 Rugby World Cup winner's J9 Foundation announced the news on Monday after he had been in a critical condition over the weekend:

Van der Westhuizen was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011.

Reaction poured in on social media following the announcement:

"

South Africa is poorer without Joost van der Westhiuzen, a giant & warrior of SA rugby. I send my sincere condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/f8ko2SPWpI

— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) February 6, 2017"

According to Jack de Menezes of the Independent, Van der Westhuizen was given just two-and-a-half years to live upon his diagnosis.

Per BBC Sport, South Africa rugby president Mark Alexander said: "Joost will be remembered as one of the greatest Springboks—not only of his generation, but of all time. He also became an inspiration and hero to many fellow sufferers of this terrible disease as well as to those unaffected. We all marvelled at his bravery, his fortitude and his uncomplaining acceptance of this terrible burden."

The scrum-half made 89 caps for the Springboks over the course of a successful 10-year international career between 1993 and 2003—serving four years as captain—the pinnacle of which was winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Van der Westhuizen also scored 38 tries in that time for South Africa and was inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Domestically, he played for the Blue Bulls for his entire career, where he won the Currie Cup on two occasions, as well as the Bankfin and Vodacom Cups once apiece.