A big group of rugby supporters gathered at the Boardwalk ICC in Gqeberha on Monday to spend the morning with two-time rugby World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff.
Kitsoff recently announced his retirement following a career ending neck injury, picked up during a Currie Cup game in Kimberly last September.
The loose-head prop briefly touched on the extent of his injury, his career, the formation of the bomb squad, and his time in the Bok camp.
According to Kitshoff, his best rugby experiences were at these camps.
“At the alignment camps usually at the beginning of the year Rassie (Erasmus) gives clear guidelines on what the goal for the team is. And there players buy into the goal and put in the work to achieve it.”
He adds, that despite deviating from the plan sometimes, the team always manages to pull themselves together to reach the end goal.
“The okes care for one another. Real and true friendships are formed because we spend about 140 days a year in camp.”
On his injury, Kitshoff said he heard something pop in his neck during the Currie Cup game but played on for about 20 minutes.
“After the game, I went to the doctor and asked him to check out my neck, because I felt stiffer than normal.”
It was then, that he heard that the injury was much bigger than he thought.
He said it took him a while to announce his retirement as he was focused on healing and getting match-fit and ready but alas.
He has partnered with teammate Malcolm Marx in developing the Bomb Squad beer and hopes to be involved with rugby in some way or another, during his retirement.
In a statement last month, SA Rugby paid tribute to Kitshoff who earned the last of his 83 caps in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in France, which the Boks won 12-11 against New Zealand.
“It is with mixed emotions that we acknowledge Steven Kitshoff's announcement of retirement due to medical reasons,” said SA Rugby boss, Mark Alexander.
“Steven's illustrious career and unparalleled dedication to the Springboks have made an indelible mark on South African rugby.
“He has been a true servant and stalwart of our back-to-back World Cup-winning Springboks, representing our country with distinction on all levels of the game,” he said.
