Ulster confirm early Kitshoff exit with South Africa homecoming agreed
Ulster have confirmed that South Africa loosehead Steven Kitshoff will leave the club at the end of the season despite two years being left on his contract.
The 32-year-old will rejoin his former club the Stormers at the end of the season, in a move that had been widely speculated in recent weeks.
Kitshoff only arrived at the Kingspan Stadium after winning his second World Cup with South Africa in October, making his debut against Glasgow Warriors a few weeks later.
He said to the club after his move was announced: “Since arriving in Belfast, I have really enjoyed my time in the Ulster jersey, and it’s been a privilege to be a part of such a great group of players and support staff.
“Ulster will always have a place in my heart, and I’m grateful to the supporters that welcomed me to a club and province that is undoubtedly a very special place.”
Kitshoff’s future director of rugby John Dobson said: “Steven is a DHL Stormers great and adds so much to our environment beyond his immense value on the pitch.
“We are really encouraged that he is so keen to come back and get stuck in as we start an exciting new chapter here in Cape Town.
“We always wanted to get him back and I am just thrilled that with the backing of our new owners, we have been able to make that happen so quickly.
“He is a proud product of our system and we cannot wait to see him in the blue and white again next season.”
The prop added: “It is no secret what Cape Town and the DHL Stormers team mean to me, so to be able to return home is incredibly exciting.
“I’d like to thank Ulster for a fantastic experience in Belfast and their understanding through this whole process. We still have a lot to do together this season.
“From next season I’ll be doing all I can to add value for the DHL Stormers and hopefully be part of something special once again with my friends and family alongside me.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Excellent analysis Nick as we have come to expect. I was not really aware that NFL strategies have been adopted by rugby teams, especially in defence. One point I would make is that the Northhampton attacking player on the end of the chain in the video examples has not maintained the correct depth to be effective. In the footage shown the outside player is too flat to make the best of the opportunity his inside players have provided. In each case they have to reduce speed and turn their body backwards to secure the ball, losing all momentum and giving the impressive scrambling defence the chance to shut down the threat.
1 Go to commentsMorning, John. Do you think that it may be a good idea to rest both teams from the Madrid comp leading in to the Olympics
2 Go to comments« I am preparing myself for much more, something much bigger. I’m focussing on the next cycle, » You don’t say…
1 Go to commentsGeez plenty of time to come right before test season starts. Dont panic mr Mannering!!!!!
1 Go to commentsGreat read Nick. The Reds really have been great to watch this year, and the improvement of not only the players you mention, but the squad in general has been obvious. The Reds 10/12 play making axis is a nice counterpoint to the 10/15 partnership at the Brumbies and Rebels. If Schmidt was to pick say, Lolesio, Paisami and Wright / Kellaway, would this be too many play makers? I notice in a lot of those clips Tim Ryan playing across the field in support of Vunivalu. Is this a feature of Kiss’s structure?
2 Go to commentsSo sad, god rest him. Too young to be gone. RIP
2 Go to commentsRIP big man 🙏
2 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
2 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
7 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
3 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
3 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
7 Go to comments