Springboks and Stormers legend Steven Kitshoff has been forced to retire after suffering a serious neck injury last year.

The loosehead has been a key player for both club and country, and was instrumental in helping South Africa win the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and 2023.

Kitshoff had been out of action since September after he sustained a neck injury which required surgery and extensive rehabilitation.

‘Live the dream’

“Playing rugby has been my life from a young age and I was lucky enough to live the dream of many young boys by representing the Springboks and the DHL Stormers,” he said,

“It is obviously incredibly disappointing for my career to end in this way, but unfortunately the risk to my wellbeing was simply too high.

“I really wanted to finish my story with the DHL Stormers on the pitch and gave the rehab and comeback the best shot I could, but it was not to be.”

According to the front-rower, he was “two millimetres from death” and he has now made the decision to hang up his boots.

In a statement, the Stormers revealed that “he has been left with significantly reduced rotation of his neck” and that returning to playing would leave him at “high risk” of suffering another injury.

“There are so many people who have provided incredible support for me over the years, not least my wife Aimee and my parents,” Kitshoff added.

“I will always be grateful to all of the coaches, teammates and support staff at both the DHL Stormers and SA Rugby and of course the fans who have had such a big impact on my career.

“As much as I will miss playing and the special feeling of running out to represent something much bigger than myself, I am also looking forward to an exciting new chapter in my life.

“I’ll be there at DHL Stadium cheering the boys on, just like I did as a youngster. I walk away from my playing days with so many incredible memories that I will cherish forever.”

Remarkable career

Kitshoff began his career at the Stormers before two years abroad at Bordeaux-Begles. However, he would return in 2017 and remained until 2023 before another short stint overseas, this time with Ulster.

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He re-signed with the Stormers in 2024 but was unable to get back out on the field because of the injury sustained in the Currie Cup.

“Steven Kitshoff is an iconic player who will go down as one of the greats of our game. The only two players with more DHL Stormers caps to their name are his good mates and fellow props Brok Harris and Frans Malherbe,” Stormers boss John Dobson said.

“Beyond his undeniable impact on the field and impressive longevity, Steven stands out as a top human being who treated everyone with respect and always remained firmly grounded.

“He started out as a prodigy and proved himself against the best in the world. He will be remembered as a fantastic rugby player and a credit to his family. Playing for the Springboks and the DHL Stormers meant a lot to him and that passion and love was given back to him by the fans.”

Kitshoff made his Springboks debut in 2016 and earned 83 caps for the national team. He quickly became a key player for South Africa and started the World Cup final in both 2019 and 2023.