Kenya, Feb. 25 -- South African rugby star Steven Kitshoff, who has won the Rugby World Cup twice, has announced that he is retiring from professional rugby at the age of 33. He made this decision because of a serious neck injury that nearly took his life.
Kitshoff played for the DHL Stormers and the Springboks and shared his emotional news on Tuesday, ending a career that lasted more than ten years.
He hurt his neck during a Currie Cup match in September 2024. In that game, a scrum collapsed, causing three loud cracking sounds. At first, he thought it was just a muscle strain, so he kept playing.
Later, he discovered that a moved vertebra had put him "two millimetres from death," as he told a South African news outlet.
After having neck surgery in November, Kitshoff began to recover but found out that his neck movement was too limited for him to safely play again.
"It's very sad for my career to end like this, but my health is more important," Kitshoff said in a statement. He added that rugby has been a huge part of his life since he was young and that he is grateful to his coaches, teammates, and fans. He had hoped to finish his career playing for the Stormers, but it was not meant to be.
Kitshoff's retirement ends a wonderful chapter in rugby. He started playing for the Stormers in 2011 when he was only 18 years old.
He played 83 times for South Africa and was a key player in their World Cup wins in 2019 and 2023. In the 2019 final, he came off the bench, and in the 2023 final, he started in a close 12-11 victory against New Zealand.
He also led the Stormers to the 2022 United Rugby Championship title and helped with the team's win against the British and Irish Lions in 2021.
People from all over the rugby world have shared kind words about Kitshoff. Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus called him "a true team player" and said he left an important mark on South African rugby.
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson praised him as "one of the greats" and mentioned that the team now needs to find a new loosehead prop to fill his spot.
Kitshoff's injury has raised questions about player safety in rugby, especially concerning injuries during scrums. Even though his career ended suddenly, he remains hopeful.
He told SA Rugby Magazine that the retirement decision was a bit easier because he had to stop playing, but it was still tough to walk away.
As of Tuesday evening, fans are sharing memories of his bright red hair and strong scrummaging skills on social media. They are mourning the loss of a beloved "warrior" while also celebrating his amazing legacy.
The rugby community is now waiting to see what Kitshoff will do next, as the double World Cup champion has promised to stay involved in the sport that has been such a big part of his life.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.