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'It really hung in the air for the lads' - how Steven Kitshoff inspired Ulster
Ulster’s remarkable win against Leinster in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship New Year’s match has raised eyebrows among teams in the Championship, but it isn’t surprising to hear that much of the galvanising spirit came after a serious talk from their Springbok acquisition Steven Kitshoff.
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Ulster became the first side in 19 months to win at the RDS Stadium, shattering the invincible image of the Irish juggernaut side and underlining their own hopes of title contention this season.
Coach Dan McFarland revealed that it was none other than their high-profile off-season signing, former DHL Stormers skipper Steven Kitshoff who focused the team’s attention to the task at hand in the build-up to the game.
Kitshoff took charge of the team’s scrum meeting, holding court and setting the tone for a festive derby period that the Belfast side will long remember.
After Duane Vermeulen’s influence the previous season, Kitshoff has proven to be a hit since joining his new club after the Rugby World Cup.
“He is a double World Cup winner, he lands with a huge amount of credibility full stop. There are two things. He spoke to us at a scrum meeting two weeks ago, he was very specific about what he said and it really hung in the air for the lads. I thought that was excellent,” Mcfarland said.
The Ulster coach added that Kitshoff backed up his words with actions on the field and the fact that he is always a threat for a jackal (turnover) that makes him such a valuable player for the Irish side.
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“But it is his stuff around the park, he carries well, is involved in really good defensive plays, he is always a jackal threat, just moves really well around the park.
“He is not afraid of saying how it is, if things need to change or somebody needs to do something he will point it out. He is a double World Cup winner and he is captain of a URC-winning team. Steven is a top man adding a lot of value.”
With the thrilling one-point victory, Ulster moved into fourth spot in the URC log, just six points behind Leinster.
And given the impact that Kitshoff has already had on the team, as the challenges get tougher down the road, it is likely that he will feature more prominently in Ulster’s campaign.
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United Rugby Championship
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Leinster
9
7
2
0
34
2
Benetton
9
7
1
1
32
3
Glasgow
9
6
3
0
31
4
Ulster
9
6
3
0
28
5
Edinburgh
9
6
3
0
26
6
Bulls
8
5
3
0
26
7
Stormers
9
5
4
0
26
8
Ospreys
9
5
4
0
25
9
Connacht
9
5
4
0
24
10
Munster
9
4
4
1
24
11
Cardiff Rugby
9
3
5
1
21
12
Lions
7
3
4
0
19
13
Scarlets
9
2
7
0
12
14
Zebre
9
1
7
1
12
15
Gwent Dragons
9
2
7
0
10
16
Sharks
8
1
7
0
8
Comments on RugbyPass
Well done Baby Boks we will take the Draw. No 9 senseless long passes in those conditions. let’s move on and hope for some good weather
3 Go to commentsHow did it end a draw. South Africa didn’t score any points as far as I can see
3 Go to commentsNo doubt this will be a fantastic occasion and I plan to be there, but I think the bean counters have won out over the rugby brains. In my opinion, it is foolhardy to give the Black Ferns the experience of playing in front of 60,000+ at Twickenham a year before they might be playing there in a World Cup Final. Better to play France at Twickenham and Black Ferns at Kingsholm. The difference in takings would be miniscule.
1 Go to commentsDom kant
193 Go to commentsBen is a little incel desperately trying to stir the pot and stay relevant. We used to get mad at his articles. Now we just feel sorry for him
193 Go to commentsPerhaps we may need to put an asterisk on NZ’s ‘87 WC win since the Boks weren’t there. You know, just as a reminder. Poor Ben Smith. Go cry somewhere else.
193 Go to commentsNz should have won. I didn't watch the game, but the ref was at fault and the bounce of the ball and the Bokke used the Bomb squad and the Bokke slow the game down and the Bokke scrum. They should remove the scrum. The Bokke are to strong. Not fair. Nz should have won
2 Go to commentsThanks for a much more balanced piece Ned and not that BS that Bin Smuth just posted a short while ago. read this article and then Bin Smuth’s and tell me there isn’t a huge difference🙄
2 Go to commentsWere the Baby Boks part of this game or did the Baby Blacks play themselves?🤔 That man Bin Smuth once again does a little write-up on the game and it is like 95% about the Baby Blacks🤣 Glad he ends off with the Baby Blacks were actually in cruise control for most of the game and weren’t actually playing for the win WTF🤣🤣 Maybe he was expecting the Baby Blacks to run rampant….
3 Go to commentsOne does not expect anything more from Ben Smith who epitomises the worst of New Zealand media arrogance and an inability to balance what he has to say about any team that beats the All Blacks. His reference to context is pathetically thin. He does not comment that Frizell deserved a red card given his blatant manipulation of his body to ensure that he could drop his body weight onto Mbonambi’s lower leg. No mention of the ball lost forward before the All Black’s try (lost in-field of the 5 metre line and gathered beyond). The All Black commitment and effort was superb and there was little in it. Given the Springbok passage to the final and the loss of their hooker in the first three minutes, their resolve and capacity to win their fourth final out of eight attempts (not three out of ten) deserves the praise that has been forthcoming from media around the world, worth reading and listening to. Ben should join his “pundit” friends on TV - he would fit in well. This sort of article reduces any credibility Rugby Pass has ever had. Why persist with this sort of nonsense? The man does his country and a rugby blog a disservice.
193 Go to commentsEtzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
193 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
156 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
193 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
193 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
193 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
193 Go to comments