Steven Kitshoff

Steven Kitshoff
Kitshoff in 2022
Date of birth (1992-02-10) 10 February 1992 (age 32)
Place of birthSomerset West, South Africa
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 265 lb)[1]
SchoolPaul Roos Gymnasium
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loosehead Prop
Current team Ulster
Youth career
2005–2012 Western Province
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011–2015 Western Province 39 (5)
2011–2015 Stormers 60 (0)
2015–2017 Bordeaux 34 (10)
2017–2023 Stormers 64 (15)
2020–2023 Western Province 5 (5)
2023–2024 Ulster 14 (0)
2024– Stormers ()
Correct as of 13 April 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 South Africa U20 5 (5)
2016– South Africa 83 (10)
Correct as of 29 October 2023
Medal record
Men's Rugby union
Representing  South Africa
Rugby World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2019 Japan Squad
Gold medal – first place 2023 France Squad

Steven Kitshoff (born 10 February 1992) is a South African professional rugby player who currently plays for the Stormers. His playing position is loosehead prop. He represents the South Africa national team and has previously played for Bordeaux in the French Top 14 and Western Province in the Currie Cup. He joined Ulster for the 2023–24 season.

Kitshoff was a member of the South Africa Under 20 team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship.[2] In addition, Kitshoff was part of the Western Province team that won the 2012 Currie Cup.

Kitshoff attended Hendrik Louw Primary School and Paul Roos Gymnasium.[3]

Career

[edit]

Kitshoff first broke through during the 2011 season, making 5 substitute appearances for the Stormers and then 5 Currie Cup appearances for Western Province while still only a teenager. He became more of a regular during 2012, nailing down the number 1 jersey for both the Stormers and Western Province and also winning the Currie Cup title with Province in an impressive win over the Sharks in Durban. His 2013 Super Rugby campaign was solid and he carried that form into the Currie Cup later in the year where he was an ever-present as Province reached a second consecutive Currie Cup final this time going down at home to the Sharks. 2014 was a year of frustration as he succumbed to a season-ending injury towards the back-end of the Super Rugby season and this ruled him out of Western Province's successful Currie Cup campaign in which they lifted the title for the second time in three years with a narrow win over the Golden Lions at Newlands.[citation needed]

In February 2015, it was revealed that Kitshoff would join French Top 14 side Bordeaux at the conclusion of the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division season.[4] He spent two seasons in France before returning to Cape Town in 2017.[5] In his second stint with the Stormers, he was named captain of the team in 2021,[6] and led the team as they won the inaugural United Rugby Championship in 2022.[7] He signed for Ulster ahead of the 2023–24 season,[8] and returned to the Stormers at the end of the season.[9] Following his return from Ulster, Steven Kitshoff suffered an unfortunate neck injury during the Currie Cup match against Griquas. Following medical advice, he will undergo neck fusion surgery on 20 November to aid in his recovery.

If successful, similar surgeries have allowed players to return to the field within approximately nine months, often extending their careers by about three years. Fans are hopeful for a successful outcome and look forward to seeing Steven back in action for the start of the 2025/26 season.

International rugby

[edit]

On 28 May 2016, Kitshoff was included in a 31-man South Africa squad for their three-test match series against a touring Ireland team.[10]

Kitshoff was named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[11][12] South Africa went on to win both tournaments, defeating England in the 2019 final and New Zealand in the 2023 final.[13][14]

Honours

[edit]

Western Province

  • 2012 Currie Cup winner

Stormers

South Africa South Africa

Springbok statistics

[edit]

Test Match Record

[edit]
As of 7 August 2023
Against P W D L Tri Pts %Won
 Argentina 11 9 0 2 0 0 81.82
 Australia 11 4 2 5 0 0 36.36
 British and Irish Lions 3 2 0 1 0 0 66.67
 Canada 1 1 0 0 0 0 100
 England 8 4 0 4 0 0 50
 France 6 5 0 1 0 0 83.33
 Georgia 1 1 0 0 0 0 100
 Ireland 3 1 0 2 0 0 33.33
 Italy 4 3 0 1 2 10 75
 Japan 2 2 0 0 0 0 100
 Namibia 1 1 0 0 0 0 100
 New Zealand 13 3 1 9 0 0 23.08
 Scotland 2 2 0 0 0 0 100
 Wales 8 4 0 4 0 0 50
Total 74 42 3 29 2 10 56.76

Pld = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, Tri = Tries Scored, Pts = Points Scored

International tries

[edit]
As of 7 August 2023
Try Opposing team Location Venue Competition Date Result Score
1  Italy Padua, Italy Stadio Euganeo 2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals 25 November 2017 Win 6–35
2  Italy Genoa, Italy Stadio Luigi Ferraris 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals 19 November 2022 Win 21–63

Super Rugby statistics

[edit]
As of 9 June 2020
Season Team Games Starts Sub Mins Tries Points Yellow card Red card
2011 Stormers 5 0 5 126 0 0 0 0
2012 Stormers 15 15 0 1145 0 0 0 0
2013 Stormers 15 15 0 1158 0 0 0 0
2014 Stormers 11 10 1 673 0 0 0 0
2015 Stormers 15 15 0 993 0 0 1 0
2016 In Europe with Union Bordeaux Bègles
2017 Stormers 3 0 3 102 0 0 0 0
2018 Stormers 15 11 4 827 2 10 0 0
2019 Stormers 13 12 1 773 0 0 0 0
2020 Stormers 6 6 0 387 1 5 0 0
Total 98 84 14 6184 3 15 1 0

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Steven Kitshoff player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Goosen, Kitshoff, Du Toit nucleus of powerful SA U20 JWC squad". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  3. ^ http://www.clubnewlands.co.za/News/WP-News/DHl-WP--GET-TO-KNOW-YOUR-TEAM-----Steven-Kitshoff.aspx [dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Steven Kitshoff ook op pad na Frankryk" (in Afrikaans). Netwerk24. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  5. ^ Craig Ray, "Kitshoff conundrum for Stormers", Sowetan Live, 26 June 2017
  6. ^ "Steven Kitshoff to captain Stormers", Talking Rugby Union, 20 April 2021
  7. ^ Dylan Coetzee, "United Rugby Championship: Steven Kitshoff wants to leave the Stormers with ‘back-to-back’ titles", Planet Rugby, 4 May 2023
  8. ^ Adam Kyriacou, "Dave Ewers: Ulster announce signing of Exeter Chiefs stalwart", Planet Rugby, 17 January 2023
  9. ^ "Steven Kitshoff: Two-time World Cup winner to leave Ulster in the summer", BBC Sport, 5 April 2024
  10. ^ "Squad of 31 ushers in new era of Springbok rugby". South African Rugby Union. 28 May 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  11. ^ "South Africa World Cup squad: Siya Kolisi wins fitness battle, Eben Etzebeth backed, Aphiwe Dyantyi dropped". Independent. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  12. ^ Adams, Mariette (15 August 2023). "Road to the RWC - Springbok player profile: Steven Kitshoff". The South African. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  13. ^ "England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time". BBC. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  14. ^ "South Africa edge out New Zealand in epic final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
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