Steven Kitshoff

Steven Kitshoff (born 10 February 1992) is a South African former rugby union player who last played for the Stormers. His playing position was loosehead prop. He represented the South Africa national team and has previously played for in the French Top 14 and Western Province in the Currie Cup. He joined Ulster for the 2023–24 season.

Kitshoff was a member of the South Africa Under 20 team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship.^[2] In addition, Kitshoff was part of the Western Province team that won the 2012 Currie Cup. He retired from professional rugby in 2025 due to complications sustained in a serious neck injury in 2024.

Early life and education

Kitshoff attended Hendrik Louw Primary School and Paul Roos Gymnasium.^[3]

Career

Kitshoff first broke through during the 2011 season, making 5 substitute appearances for the Stormers and then 5 Currie Cup appearances for Western Province while still only a teenager. He became more of a regular during 2012, nailing down the number 1 jersey for both the Stormers and Western Province and also winning the Currie Cup title with Province in an impressive win over the in Durban. His 2013 Super Rugby campaign was solid and he carried that form into the Currie Cup later in the year where he was an ever-present as Province reached a second consecutive Currie Cup final this time going down at home to the Sharks. 2014 was a year of frustration as he succumbed to a season-ending injury towards the back-end of the Super Rugby season and this ruled him out of Western Province's successful Currie Cup campaign in which they lifted the title for the second time in three years with a narrow win over the at Newlands.^{[citation needed]}

In February 2015, it was revealed that Kitshoff would join French Top 14 side at the conclusion of the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division season.^[4] He spent two seasons in France before returning to Cape Town in 2017.^[5] In his second stint with the Stormers, he was named captain of the team in 2021,^[6] and led the team as they won the inaugural United Rugby Championship in 2022.^[7] He signed for Ulster ahead of the 2023–24 season,^[8] and returned to the Stormers at the end of the season.^[9]

Following his return from Ulster, Steven Kitshoff suffered a serious neck injury during the Currie Cup match against Griquas. Following medical advice, he underwent neck fusion surgery on 20 November to aid in his recovery.^[10] He later said the injury was near-fatal, citing his doctors who said that the affected vertebra, which shifted, was located near his central canal at a distance of two millimetres. On 25 February 2025, Kitshoff announced his retirement from professional rugby, citing his injury.^[11][12][13]

International rugby

On 28 May 2016, Kitshoff was included in a 31-man squad for their three-test match series against a touring team.^[14]

Kitshoff was named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2023 Rugby World Cup.^[15][16] South Africa went on to win both tournaments, defeating England in the 2019 final and New Zealand in the 2023 final.^[17][18]

Honours

Western Province

• 2012 Currie Cup winner

Stormers

• 2022 United Rugby Championship winner

South Africa

• 2012 IRB Junior World Championship
• 2019 Rugby Championship
• 2019 Rugby World Cup
• 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa series winner
• 2023 Rugby World Cup

Springbok statistics

Test Match Record

Pld = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, Tri = Tries Scored, Pts = Points Scored

International tries

Super Rugby statistics

References

1. ^ "Steven Kitshoff player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
2. ^
3. ^ http://www.clubnewlands.co.za/News/WP-News/DHl-WP--GET-TO-KNOW-YOUR-TEAM-----Steven-Kitshoff.aspx ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Steven Kitshoff ook op pad na Frankryk" (in Afrikaans). Netwerk24. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
5. ^ Craig Ray, "Kitshoff conundrum for Stormers", Sowetan Live, 26 June 2017
6. ^ "Steven Kitshoff to captain Stormers", Talking Rugby Union, 20 April 2021
7. ^ Dylan Coetzee, "United Rugby Championship: Steven Kitshoff wants to leave the Stormers with ‘back-to-back’ titles", Planet Rugby, 4 May 2023
8. ^ Adam Kyriacou, "Dave Ewers: Ulster announce signing of Exeter Chiefs stalwart", Planet Rugby, 17 January 2023
9. ^ "Steven Kitshoff: Two-time World Cup winner to leave Ulster in the summer", BBC Sport, 5 April 2024
10. ^ "Steven Kitshoff’s neck surgery ‘a big success’ as the Springbok veteran prepares for ‘long recovery journey’". MSN. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
11. ^ "South Africa prop Steven Kitshoff retires from all rugby". Africanews. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
12. ^ "Steven Kitshoff: South Africa double World Cup winner retires with neck injury". BBC Sport. 2025-02-25. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
13. ^ Mostert, Herman. "Springbok, Stormers legend Steven Kitshoff forced to retire from rugby". Sport. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
14. ^
15. ^ "South Africa World Cup squad: Siya Kolisi wins fitness battle, Eben Etzebeth backed, Aphiwe Dyantyi dropped". Independent. 26 August 2019. Archived 25 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
16. ^ Adams, Mariette (2023-08-15). "Road to the RWC - Springbok player profile: Steven Kitshoff" (in en-ZA). The South African. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
17. ^ "England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time". BBC. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
18. ^ "South Africa edge out New Zealand in epic final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2023-10-29.