Springboks lock RG Snyman offloads the ball to loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff during the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final against England. FILE - Springboks lock RG Snyman offloads the ball to loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff during the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final against England. Kitsoff hasn’t played for the Boks since that World Cup final. Picture: Miguel Medina / AFP
Steven Kitshoff has undergone surgery to fuse his spine after sustaining a neck injury in a Currie Cup match against Griquas earlier this year.
It’s been a tough year for the loosehead prop, after his stint with Irish club Ulster was cut short because of a season-ending knee injury. Kitshoff was part of the Springboks mix when he was sent back to Western Province to get some gametime.
However, a freak accident saw him injure his neck. The initial prognosis wasn’t good, but an upbeat Kitshoff told the Box Office podcast with Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger that he is looking forward to the surgery to start his rehabilitation.
“It’s bit of stressful one. It’s such a high area in my neck as well, C1-C2, which is a bit of an issue,” Kitsoff said on the podcast.
“I just want to get it done, start the rehab process and see what happens after that.”
Kitshoff, who hasn’t featured for the Springboks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks in France, said the injury happened during a normal scrum.
Kitshoff, however, confirm that he pain free at the moment despite the seriousness of the injury.
“It was quite a fright. It happened in the weirdest way, just a normal scrum. I just felt something snap. I’m getting a neck fusion,” Kitshoff said.
“As I’m sitting here, I’m actually quite pain free.”
Ox Nche has had an outstanding season filling Kitshoff’s boots in the starting line-up in the No 1 jersey.
After coming off the bench with great success at the World Cup, the Ox was probably the Boks’ best player this season and was unlucky to miss out on a nomination for player of the year.
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