Jaco van der Westhuyzen
Encyclopedia
Jaco van der Westhuyzen is a South African rugby union
footballer who plays fly-half or fullback.
, van der Westhuyzen studied law at the University of Natal
(Pietermaritzburg) and through UNISA. Van der Westhuyzen has played for South Africa A, U23s and U21s (helping them to the Sanzar title in Argentina in 2000), as well as the South African Barbarians
in 2001 and South Africa Schools in 1996.
as a fly-half starting at U21 level in 1997. Played in both the Currie Cup
(scoring 96 points in 21 games) and then making his Super 12 debut in 1997 as a 19-year-old. He was unable to cement himself a place in the starting line-up, and moved north to the Mpumalanga Pumas where he came under the eye of ex-Springbok centre Danie Gerber
.
Van der Westhuyzen was first capped for the Springboks in the 2000 Tri Nations tournament against New Zealand
as a replacement, but a knee injury after his first two tests curtailed his international career.
Van der Westhuyzen then moved to the Pretoria
-based Blue Bulls
in 2001 helping them to the Vodacom Cup in his first year then, still playing as a fly-half, claiming the Currie Cup title in 2002. He was named the South African Super 12 Player of the Year following the Bulls’ sixth-place finish in the competition – the highest of any South African team in 2003. He returned to the Bulls in 2006 after stints at Leicester Tigers and NEC Green Rockets. He has been played mainly at fullback since his return; Morné Steyn and Derick Hougaard are currently well-established as the team's fly-halves.
He scored his debut international try against Samoa in Brisbane
in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
, after he was called into the South African squad as a late replacement.
In 2006, van der Westhuyzen was part of the Springboks side that was thrashed 49–0 by the Wallabies, in their opening Tri Nations match. van der Westhuyzen made many handling errors during the match, leading to Butch James
to be brought into the side. One of van der Westhuyzen's errors involved him dropping the ball and after in the bounced, kick it, claiming to the referee that he was attempting a drop goal. Later, van der Westhuyzen claimed he "needed to think of something".
, where he initially was brought in as a fullback to replace Tim Stimpson
. However, he was soon switched to fly-half, following in the tradition of Joel Stransky
. His performances earned him a recall to the Springbok side in 2004.
in Japan
and spent the 2004–5 season there. He is still there in the 2008–09 Top League
season.
. He claims his knee injury was miraculously healed by prayer when he visited T.B. Joshua
, pastor of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. According to him he was cured from a career threatening knee ligament injury immediately following the prayer. He has since been back to The Synagogue Church of All Nations and remains a friend to T.B. Joshua.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who plays fly-half or fullback.
Early life
Educated at Ben Viljoen High School, GroblersdalGroblersdal
Groblersdal is a farming town situated 32 km North of the 178 million m³ Loskop Dam in the Sekhukhune District of Limpopo.The town is South Africa's second largest irrigation settlement...
, van der Westhuyzen studied law at the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
(Pietermaritzburg) and through UNISA. Van der Westhuyzen has played for South Africa A, U23s and U21s (helping them to the Sanzar title in Argentina in 2000), as well as the South African Barbarians
South African Barbarians
South African Barbarians is an invitational rugby union club formed in 1960 by Frank Mellish, the former 1951-2 Springbok selector and manager together with former Natal chairman, Harry Stacey, styled along the lines of Barbarian F.C...
in 2001 and South Africa Schools in 1996.
Professional rugby career
He made his name with the Natal SharksNatal Sharks
The Natal Sharks are a South African rugby union team that participate in the annual Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments. The Sharks home stadium is Kings Park. They draw most of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Sharks are the current representative team of the Natal rugby...
as a fly-half starting at U21 level in 1997. Played in both the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
(scoring 96 points in 21 games) and then making his Super 12 debut in 1997 as a 19-year-old. He was unable to cement himself a place in the starting line-up, and moved north to the Mpumalanga Pumas where he came under the eye of ex-Springbok centre Danie Gerber
Danie Gerber
Danie Gerber is a former South African rugby union player, who played for South Africa between 1980 and 1992. Playing mainly at centre, he won only 24 caps for South Africa despite playing internationally for 12 years because of South Africa's sporting isolation caused by apartheid...
.
Van der Westhuyzen was first capped for the Springboks in the 2000 Tri Nations tournament against New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
as a replacement, but a knee injury after his first two tests curtailed his international career.
Van der Westhuyzen then moved to the Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
-based Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
in 2001 helping them to the Vodacom Cup in his first year then, still playing as a fly-half, claiming the Currie Cup title in 2002. He was named the South African Super 12 Player of the Year following the Bulls’ sixth-place finish in the competition – the highest of any South African team in 2003. He returned to the Bulls in 2006 after stints at Leicester Tigers and NEC Green Rockets. He has been played mainly at fullback since his return; Morné Steyn and Derick Hougaard are currently well-established as the team's fly-halves.
He scored his debut international try against Samoa in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, after he was called into the South African squad as a late replacement.
In 2006, van der Westhuyzen was part of the Springboks side that was thrashed 49–0 by the Wallabies, in their opening Tri Nations match. van der Westhuyzen made many handling errors during the match, leading to Butch James
Butch James
Andrew David "Butch" James is a South African rugby union player. He has represented 40 times and was a member of the team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He also played for Bath Rugby in the Aviva Premiership...
to be brought into the side. One of van der Westhuyzen's errors involved him dropping the ball and after in the bounced, kick it, claiming to the referee that he was attempting a drop goal. Later, van der Westhuyzen claimed he "needed to think of something".
Leicester Tigers
After the 2003 Rugby World Cup he joined Leicester TigersLeicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
, where he initially was brought in as a fullback to replace Tim Stimpson
Tim Stimpson
Timothy Richard George Stimpson is a former rugby union international full back . During his career he played for Wakefield, West Hartlepool, Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers, Perpignan, Leeds Tykes and Nottingham, England and the British Lions...
. However, he was soon switched to fly-half, following in the tradition of Joel Stransky
Joel Stransky
Joel Theodore Stransky is a former South African rugby union rugby player, most notable for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the famous dramatic winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. He played as a fly-half.-Early life:Stransky was born in...
. His performances earned him a recall to the Springbok side in 2004.
NEC Green Rockets
Despite attempts by Leicester to keep him at the club, he decided to honour a contract he had signed with NEC Green RocketsNEC Green Rockets
NEC Green Rockets is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. The team's captain is . The previous captain was Takuro Miuchi, who is currently the captain of the Japan national rugby union team. Before the semi-professional Top League was created, the team was just known as "NEC"...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and spent the 2004–5 season there. He is still there in the 2008–09 Top League
Top League
The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
season.
Beliefs
Van der Westhuyzen is a devout ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. He claims his knee injury was miraculously healed by prayer when he visited T.B. Joshua
T.B. Joshua
Temitope Balogun Joshua , commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, is a Christian, minister, televangelist and faith healer...
, pastor of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. According to him he was cured from a career threatening knee ligament injury immediately following the prayer. He has since been back to The Synagogue Church of All Nations and remains a friend to T.B. Joshua.