DHL Stormers and Springbok double Rugby World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff has called time on his illustrious playing career due to the serious neck injury that required an operation and has kept him out of rugby since last September.
The 33-year-old was given a bleak prognosis after he sustained the injury playing a comeback match for Western Province in the Carling Currie Cup after returning from a stint with Ulster.
However, he remained hopeful that he would get onto the field again and represent the franchise he led to Vodacom United Rugby Championship glory in 2022.
It was always going to be an uphill struggle for him to play again and add to his 138 Stormers caps and the 83 he has for the Boks, which included being on the winning side in two World Cup finals as well as winning a series against the British and Irish Lions.
This week he finally gave up the fight, thus ending a career at the Stormers/WP that started way back in 2011.
The end of an era. What a journey it has been with @StevenKitshoff 🩶💙
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) February 25, 2025
Full announcement https://t.co/vuluraHUsm#iamastormer #kitsie pic.twitter.com/sLFKRNkVIP
Following the injury sustained in Kimberley last year, the decision was taken to initially follow a conservative therapy programme but it soon became apparent that corrective surgery was necessary.
HIGH RISK
Following an extensive rehabilitation process he has been left with significantly reduced rotation of his neck and the advice from a specialist neurosurgeon was that there would be a high risk of another injury should he continue playing.
Kitshoff was first called up into the Stormers squad as an 18 year old who required special permission to train with senior players at such a young age. He made his Bok debut in 2016, five years after making his debut for the Stormers.
He was part of the World Cup winning efforts under the captaincy of his long time teammate Siya Kolisi in Japan in 2019 and again in France in 2023.
CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT AS CAPTAIN
His own crowning achievement as a captain was leading the Stormers to their win over the Vodacom Bulls in the 2022 URC final, thus making him the first Stormers captain to live an international trophy.
“It is incredibly disappointing for my career to end in this way, but unfortunately the risk to my well being was too high,” said Kitshoff.
“I really wanted to finish my story with the Stormers on the pith and gave the rehab and comeback the best shot I could. But sadly it was not to be.”
🏅 He walked into professional rugby as a teenager. He leaves as a Stormers and Springbok legend.⛈️ 🇿🇦
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) February 25, 2025
🫡 @StevenKitshoff 👏 pic.twitter.com/rizK4alZqp
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson paid tribute to Kitshoff and thanked him for the contribution he has made to the game as a whole.
“He is an iconic player who will go down as one of the greats of the game,” said Dobson.
“The only players with more caps to their name are his good mates and fellow props Brok Harris and Frans Malherbe.
"Beyond his undeniable impact on the field and impressive longevity, Steven stands as a top human being who treated everyone with respect and always remained firmly grounded.”