Rugby: Two-time World Cup winner Kitshoff forced to retire after serious neck injury

Two-time World Cup-winning prop Steven Kitshoff has been forced to retire after suffering a serious neck injury, his club the Stormers announced on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old, who was part of South Africa's World Cup-winning squads in Japan in 2019 and France in 2023 (138 caps for the Springboks), injured his neck in a Currie Cup match with Western Province last year.

"After initial conservative therapy, it was decided to proceed with stabilising surgery. After a long rehabilitation process, the rotation of his neck was significantly reduced and a specialist neurosurgeon assessed that there was a high risk of re-injury if he continued to play," the club said in a statement.

Kitshoff was first called up to the Stormers squad at the age of 18, requiring special permission to train with the seniors at such a young age. He made his debut in 2011 and earned his first cap for the Springboks in 2016. His distinctive red hair made him a standout on the field.

"It is obviously incredibly disappointing that my career has ended in this way, but unfortunately the risk to my wellbeing was simply too high," he said.