John Dobson says Steven Kitshoff’s retirement and a “poor profile” of loosehead props leaves the Stormers with no choice but to dip into the market for a new No 1, reports DEVIN HERMANUS. 

Kitshoff’s return home in July 2024, after a brief stint at Ulster, was meant to see the two-time World Cup winner and Vodacom URC-winning skipper finish his career at the Stormers. However, a serious neck injury for Western Province late last year led to surgery and on Tuesday, the 33-year-old called it quits on medical grounds.

Speaking alongside Kitshoff at Cape Town Stadium, Dobson revealed that the Stormers will make a signing announcement “in due course”. The franchise’s loosehead stocks include Ali Vermaak (35), Sti Sithole (31) and 34-year-old Lizo Gqoboka, who remains sidelined with a long-term Achilles injury.

Vernon Matongo, at 23, is seen as a promising talent, but Dobson admitted the squad has been left unbalanced.

“We have to replace [Kitshoff], just with that age profile I’ve mentioned – three over 30 and one at 23, who’s going to be exceptional,” the Stormers chief told reporters. “I don’t want to preclude what will come out, but there definitely will be one signing we’re going to be making soon.”

“[Kitshoff’s injury] sucked a lot of the marrow out of us,” Dobson added. “He was our captain, a world-class player. I didn’t have the profile of the looseheads right; Ali was ahead of Steve when he was playing for me in 2010, Sti was a senior, Lizo was senior, Vernon was this promising player, and Kitsie was the glue around that.

“So we ended up with a poor profile of looseheads in terms of age and injury, and that put us under pressure. That scrum dominance and culture wasn’t there anymore. But also the leadership and the person he [Kitshoff] is in the room.

“I was so grateful to get Steven back last season; it was all so perfect but it was a cruel blow.”

In October 2024, Dobson confirmed that Sharks powerhouse Ntuthuko Mchunu was a target amid an injury crisis in the front row during the Currie Cup. Mchunu’s contract is reportedly set to expire at the end of July.

“We are not in negotiations yet, but he is definitely on our radar,” he said at the time. “If you look at our loosehead prop roster, Kitsie, Ali, Sti and Lizo are all carrying injuries of some form. A 24, 25-year-old Springbok like that would be a great addition for us.”

Dobson on Tuesday reflected on Kitshoff’s influence at the Stormers, particularly when the franchise lost a host of senior Springboks before the union entered into administration in 2020-21.

“One point I want to make about Steve is that when we went through the very dark times, I’m talking about four, five years ago, and we were losing players hand over fist – big players, guys you might’ve heard of – how we actually turned it around was by going to Frans [Malherbe] and saying, ‘Kitsie’s staying’.

“It was his faith in staying that saved us. Because he stayed, others stayed,” he said. “It couldn’t have been based on security. It was based on his love for this union. He could have gone anywhere in the world back then, both him and Frans. They stayed on.”

Dobson hinted that Kitshoff could still contribute to the Stormers in a different capacity: “There’s mentorship and a bigger role, not necessarily the obvious transition into scrum coaching. Steve’s got another contribution to make, maybe outside scrumming.

“That’s what I’ve enjoyed with the Stormers the last while, there are so many guys who are going to transition into really good coaches.”