Wallabies: Joost one of the greats of the game

Cape Town - The Wallabies have tweeted their condolences to the friends and family of Joost van der Westhuizen.

Writing on their official Twitter page to their 200 000 followers, the Wallabies paid respect to "one of the greats of our game".

Van der Westhuizen passed away on Monday aged 45, after losing his nearly six-year long battle with motor neuron disease (MND).

Van der Westhuizen, who was diagnosed with the illness 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.

Condolences to the friends and family of one of the greats of our game, Joost van der Westhuizen. #RIPJoost. pic.twitter.com/YGh33TjKNT

— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) February 6, 2017

Greatness. #RIPJoost https://t.co/APxkEE9UYi

— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) February 6, 2017