Kitshoff: I'm not done yet
12/15/2024 01:01 AM
While sharing details of a neck injury that nearly cost him his life, Springbok and DHL Stormers prop Steven Kitshoff is upbeat about packing down for club and country again.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Rapport, the 32-year-old revealed how a Currie Cup match against Griquas in September ended with him just millimetres away from disaster.
"It was just another scrum, then three cracking sounds – pop, pop, pop," Kitshoff recalled. "I played on, thinking it was a muscle strain.
"Today I know: I was two millimetres from a catastrophe, from my death.”
Kitshoff underwent a complex surgery to fuse two cervical vertebrae with bone from his hip. "The first thing the specialist said to me was: ‘Listen, you’re lucky we didn’t bury you in a week.’ Because the vertebra that shifted is so close to my brain canal,” he said.
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"Without the operation, I'd never play rugby again."
Despite the setback, Kitshoff remains optimistic about his rugby future and hopes to help the Boks achieve a historic third consecutive World Cup title in 2027.
"I'll see the specialist in January to assess my recovery. If my neck holds up, I'm going for it," he said.
Reflecting on his career, which includes two World Cup triumphs, Kitshoff remains grateful. "If I have to retire, I'll be satisfied. But I'm not done yet – I've always been a warrior for my team.
"Rugby's a dangerous sport, but I'll give my all because I'm fighting for my team."
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
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