Former Ulster prop, and two-time World Cup winner, Steven Kitshoff has announced his retirement from rugby after suffering a neck injury that nearly killed him.
Kitshoff, who played part of last season at Ravenhill, confirmed through club side the Stormers that he has been encouraged to hang up the boots due to the “risk to his wellbeing”.
The 33-year-old South African, who won the World Cup with the Springboks in 2019 and 2023, suffered the neck injury in September while playing in the Currie Cup for Western Province.
Although it was believed he would make a full recovery and return to playing for hometown club the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship, Kitshoff subsequently revealed that he was “millimetres from death” when the incident occurred and after multiple attempts at surgery and rehab has now confirmed his retirement.
“After undergoing initial conservative therapy, the decision was taken to have stabilising surgery,” read the statement.
“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.”
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In the statement, Kitshoff commented: “It is obviously incredibly disappointing for my career to end in this way, but unfortunately the risk to my wellbeing was simply too high.”
One of the best props in the game, Kitshoff’s stay at Ulster was brief, the Cape Town native joining after winning his second Webb Ellis Trophy however he struggled to settle in in Belfast and would request an early release from his three-month contract after just eight months and 14 appearances.
His legacy will not be tarnished, though, Kitshoff retiring having won the United Rugby Championship with the Stormers in 2022 to go with his two World Cup winner’s medals, while he also lifted the Junior World Championship in 2012 with the Junior Springboks.
Kitshoff spent the majority of his career with the Stormers, whom he made his debut for as an 18-year-old in 2011, bar a two-year stay in Bordeaux from 2015 and 2017 and his brief sojourn to Ulster last season.