Steven Kitshoff’s playing career hangs in the balance after the Springboks prop suffered a neck injury that almost took his life.

The double Rugby World Cup winner suffered the injury in a Currie Cup game for Western Province against Griquas last year which followed a knee injury that ended his spell at Ulster prematurely.

Kitshoff was primed for a recall to the Springboks squad before suffering the injury while on duty for Western Province but would ultimately play no matches for Rassie Erasmus’ team in 2024.

Latest on Steven Kitshoff

In an interview with Rapport last month, he explained the seriousness of the injury despite not realising it at the time and initially played on.

“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.

“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.

“Without the operation, I’d never play rugby again.”

The 32-year-old has since undergone surgery on his neck and is working his way back to a possible return to rugby.

‘I was two millimetres from a catastrophe’ – Steven Kitshoff reveals more on his neck injury and opens up on his playing future

According to Rapport, Kitshoff’s surgery was a success but there is still doubt about whether he will be able to return to the rugby pitch.

He will meet with his specialist again on January 16 with the appointment likely to decide whether he can return to rugby again or he must put his health first and call it a day.

In Kitshoff’s absence, Ox Nche shone in the starting XV for the Springboks last year while Gerhard Steenekamp made the most of his opportunity as a member of the ‘Bomb Squad’.

Rassie Erasmus will be hoping to have Kitshoff back at his disposal with the 83 Test cap prop being a star performing during the past two Rugby World Cups and the cycles in between.

Meanwhile, the Stormers have reportedly looked at signing Sharks’ loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu as a possible replacement for Kitshoff if he is unable to return to the pitch but could press on and finalise a deal regardless.

The three-Test prop is currently stuck behind Nche in the Sharks’ pecking order which has hurt his chances of becoming a regular squad member with the Springboks.

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Lood de Jager returns

Another World Cup-winning Springboks forward did make his return this weekend as Lood de Jager turned out for his Japanese club the Saitama Wild Knights in a training match.

The second rower missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup due to a health scare but returned to action in 2024 before sustaining a shoulder injury in the Japan Rugby League One final defeat to the Toshiba Brave Lupus.

That injury meant that he missed the entire 2024 international season for the Springboks.

READ MORE: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu: Concerning injury update for Springboks star after Stormers took ‘risk’

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/springboks-steven-kitshoffs-career-hangs-in-the-balance-ahead-of-specialist-appointment-after-prop-was-two-millimetres-from-catastrophe