Springbok and Stormers prop Steven Kitshoff officially retired from rugby with immediate effect this week after a serious neck injury that required surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
Due to the high risks involved, Kitshoff ultimately chose to step away from the game. The highly decorated player won the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup
titles with the Springboks.
Kitshoff opened up exclusively to SportsBoom website and explained how difficult it has been to reach the decision.
“The initial eight weeks [postthe operation] were quite stressful, and that’s when most of the discussions happened about my quality of life, my health, and the possibility of re-injuring myself, which would have been catastrophic,” the World Cup hero said.
“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to carry on or get back on the field, but I had to consider what my life would look like in 10 to 15 years. That was the thought process behind my retirement. I had to ensure I could live a fulfilling life, be happy, be healthy and that’s when I knew it was time to call it quits.”
The two-time World Cup champion mentioned that he has not actually decided on what his next move will be in rugby.
“There’s nothing concrete in terms of a plan, but I’d love to stay involved with rugby for as long as I can.
“The sport has given me so much, and now it’s time for me to give back whether through youth development, mentoring, or consulting. I just want to be involved.
“I have no regrets whatsoever. I played rugby as hard as I could and gave my all for club and country. I never wanted to miss a match.
“Of course, it would’ve been nice to carry on playing but unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.”
Stormers coach John Dobson also spoke about Kitshoff potentially transitioning into a coach at the club.
“We’ve got so many guys who could transition into coaching, Brok [Harris] is already with the juniors, Deon Fourie has a lot to contribute, Ruhan Nel could be exceptional, and even [Seabelo] Senatla.
“I think he needs to take a bit of a break and focus on Bomb Squad, not the drinking, just the commercial side! Maybe down the line, he can be involved in mentorship or breakdown work, but nothing rushed. We want him to stay connected to the Stormers,” said Dobson.
