Career over for Springbok World Cup winner?
Today at 05:23 AM
Steven Kitshoff is one of the most influential props to have ever played for the Springboks, but he has missed the entire 2024 international season, most recently as a result of a serious neck operation.
In news that has come to light at TheSouthAfrican, it’s understood that Kitshoff has just undergone a major neck fusion surgery, which lasted over six hours.
According to information received, the surgery was a success and Kitshoff is recovering well, but it’s sadly believed that the initial prognosis is that the 32-year-old is unlikely to play rugby again.
At the moment Kitshoff will simply be focused on making a full recovery from a major operation, and there will undoubtedly be further assessments from medical specialists.
However, due to the severity of the injury and the fact that it is high up on his upper neck vertebrae, it would be understandable if doctors felt it would be too much of a risk for him – especially as a prop – to play rugby professionally again.
The double World Cup winner could be left stranded on 83 Test caps, while his second stint at the Stormers could be over before its begun.
Springbok star Steven Kitshoff is recovering from a delicate neck operation
The popular Springbok prop has been out of action since early September after sustaining the injury playing for Western Province in a Currie Cup game after just returning from a serious knee injury.
Recently, when speaking on the popular Boks Office show, Kitshoff described how the injury occurred and just why it was such a ‘scary’ situation.
"It's a bit of a stressful one because it's such a high area of my neck – C1 and C2 – which is a bit of an issue," he said. "It was quite a fright. It happened in the weirdest way. Just a normal scrum, and everyday type of thing, and then I just felt something snap at the back.
"Mine was just a normal scrum. The scrum didn't even collapse. In the process of the scrum, I just felt something go.”
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