Joost update: Signs of improvement

Cape Town - Joost van der Westhuizen remains in hospital but has shown signs of improvement according to the latest update released by the J9 Foundation.

The foundation thanked fans for their ongoing support for the ex-Bok scrumhalf who was admitted to hospital on Saturday.

"Joost has been much better today however he is tired and been resting this afternoon.Thank you for the continued support for him and his family."

Van der Westhuizen, who has been fighting motor neuron disease since 2011, played 89 Tests for the Springboks between 1993 and 2003.

He scored a then-Springbok record 38 tries and is widely regarded as one of the game’s finest-ever scrumhalves.

In recent years he has been confined to a wheelchair and was recently put on an oxygen machine to help him breathe.