Steven Kitshoff (born 10 February 1992) is a South African professional rugby player who currently plays for Ulster. 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.
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| Date of birth | 10 February 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Somerset West, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 265 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Paul Roos Gymnasium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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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]
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.[9]
Kitshoff was named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[10][11] South Africa went on to win both tournaments, defeating England in the 2019 final and New Zealand in the 2023 final.[12][13]
Honours edit
Western Province
- 2012 Currie Cup winner
Stormers
- 2022 United Rugby Championship winner
South Africa
Springbok statistics edit
Test Match Record edit
This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (October 2023) |
- 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 |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- ^ a b "Steven Kitshoff player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ http://www.clubnewlands.co.za/News/WP-News/DHl-WP--GET-TO-KNOW-YOUR-TEAM-----Steven-Kitshoff.aspx [dead link]
- ^ "Steven Kitshoff ook op pad na Frankryk" (in Afrikaans). Netwerk24. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ Craig Ray, "Kitshoff conundrum for Stormers", Sowetan Live, 26 June 2017
- ^ "Steven Kitshoff to captain Stormers", Talking Rugby Union, 20 April 2021
- ^ Dylan Coetzee, "United Rugby Championship: Steven Kitshoff wants to leave the Stormers with ‘back-to-back’ titles", Planet Rugby, 4 May 2023
- ^ Adam Kyriacou, "Dave Ewers: Ulster announce signing of Exeter Chiefs stalwart", Planet Rugby, 17 January 2023
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Adams, Mariette (15 August 2023). "Road to the RWC - Springbok player profile: Steven Kitshoff". The South African. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time". BBC. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- ^ "South Africa edge out New Zealand in epic final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
External links edit
- Steven Kitshoff at ESPNscrum
- Steven Kitshoff at ItsRugby.co.uk
- Steven Kitshoff at Springboks.rugby
