Steven Kitshoff has stated that he is just glad to be alive after he and Stormers head coach John Dobson revealed just how close he was to death.

The two-time Rugby World Cup winner announced his retirement on Tuesday on medical advice after suffering a neck injury while playing in the Currie Cup last year.

Kitshoff said in December that he was “two millimetres from my death” but was still hopeful of returning to action after a successful operation.

‘Seizing every day’

However, the chance of another injury was too high that the former loosehead prop had to hang up his boots.

While that might be disappointing for many players, it was not the case for great Springbok, who’s relieved that he gets another opportunity at life.

“I’m very lucky to still be able to walk or still be able to breathe. I can count my blessings that I’m still alive,” he told reporters.

“It’s 100 per cent about seizing every day, proper planning and working towards a new goal, a new career.

“I’m just grateful to be around and being able to talk in this room, first of all. Secondly, it’s about seizing this opportunity, it’s almost like a second lifeline that has been given to me.”

Springboks Rugby World Cup winner who was ‘two millimetres from death’ retires due to ‘high risk’ chance of another injury

Kitshoff sat alongside John Dobson in Tuesday’s press conference and the Stormers head coach confirmed that they did not want to reveal too much while the 33-year-old was rehabilitating.

C1-C2 spinal injury

“For obvious reasons, it wasn’t out in the media over this journey that we’ve been on with the nature of Steven’s injury,” Dobson said.

“It’s a C1-C2 and that’s what’s called the hangman’s vertebrae. As you damage your spinal cord, you’ve got C8, you may lose movement in your feet or lower limbs, but as it goes higher, C1 and that gap above C1 can affect your lungs.

“It wasn’t even a wheelchair discussion, it was a stop-breathing discussion. It’s not something we wanted to discuss too widely.

“The first thing is that he’s still here and that probably made the decision a bit easier.”

READ MORE: Rassie Erasmus in touching tribute to ‘true team man’ Steven Kitshoff as retiring ‘warrior’ makes Springboks vow

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/it-wasnt-a-wheelchair-discussion-it-was-a-stop-breathing-discussion-shocking-extent-of-steven-kitshoffs-injury-revealed