Manu Samoa sings beautiful hymn for Springboks legend Joost Van Der Westhuizen

A moving hymn performed by members of the Samoan rugby team for terminally ill Springboks legend Joost van der Westhuizen during their 2015 World Cup campaign in England.

Manu Samoa posted on their Facebook page a video of the team singing the hymn "Fa'afetai i le Atua" (Thank you, God, our Creator) sung in Brighton, England.  The video shows the players dressed in blue training gear standing and singing to van der Westhuizen who sits in a wheelchair dressed in a Springboks hoodie. 

Van der Westhuizen was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011 and given between two and five years to live.
The hymn is well-known in the Samoan community. The chorus says: "Sing hallelujah, thank you, hallelujah" and the second verse includes the sentence, "Thank you to your son Jesus, who came down from above. The one who is our refuge."

In the Facebook post, Manu Samoa wrote: "Totally humbling experience to meet Springboks legend Joost Van Der Westhuizen in Brighton today.  This man does not let Motor Neuron Disease define him or stop him living life to the fullest. This hymn seemed right for the occasion."

Eleanor McLeod was one of hundreds of Facebook readers to comment on the post, writing: "The beauty of sport bringing people of different nations together."

Van der Westhuizen played 89 times for South Africa between 1993-2003.  He was part of the Springboks' 1995 Rugby World Cup winning team and made a try saving tackle on NZ rugby legend Jonah Lomu which cost the All Blacks the game.  

The Samoan rugby team said it was a humbling experience to sing to the player who has Motor Neuron Disease.

Video via Howzit London

 

** Update ** 

07 Feb 2017 - Today tributes have flowed all morning on Social Media for legend Joost as he passed away this morning after a long battle with the disease.

We take a look at another Nesian rugby legend Jonah Lomu who also passed too soon and his visit to Joost a couple of years ago.