‘I am really sad I won’t see him become a centurion,’ Redelinghuys on Kitshoff

Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys lamented the fact that Springbok legend Steven Kitshoff would not be able to become an international centurion, after he was forced to retire from rugby due to a serious neck injury.

Stormers stalwart Kitshoff suffered the career ending injury during a Currie Cup game for Western Province against Griquas last year, and underwent neck fusion surgery in November an effort to try and save his career.

However after extensive rehabilitation the 33-year-old has been left with significantly reduced rotation of his neck and was recently advised by a specialist neurosurgeon that should he continue to play rugby he would be at a high risk of reinjury.

Strangely enough Redelinghuys, who is now 35, saw his rugby career ended early at the age of 27 after he suffered a neck fracture in Currie Cup semfinal for the Lions against the Cheetahs in 2016, and was also forced into retirement on the advice of a specialist.

It left the former prop stuck on eight Springbok caps after making his debut in 2014, and due to the similar natures of their injuries and the fact that the two had played together for the Boks and against each other at franchise level, Redelinghuys admitted that he had chatted to Kitshoff after the injury.

Lekker conversation

“I actually had a lekker discussion with Kitsie just after this happened (the injury). Obviously where his situation and my situation differs is that he is on 83 (international) caps and he had the goal to become a centurion for the Springboks,” said Redelinghuys.

“I think that was his main goal, so I am really sad that I won’t be able to see him achieving that goal. But he does have two World Cups under his belt, he played a massive part in building the Springboks up from when he made his debut in 2016, to where they are today.

“I just want to say a massive congratulations on an amazing career. It is really sad that he can’t reach all of the other goals that he had for himself, but I think he can be really proud of the work he has put in, the achievements he has made and I wish him well for his life after rugby.

“Obviously having played so long he would have set himself up nicely for what is to come, but for any rugby player it is tough to end a career. You miss the boys and the team around you.

“But he has an ‘yster vrou’. Aimee is a great partner to him so I am sure he will be fine, and I look forward to him taking on all the ventures after rugby.”

Kitshoff debut

Redelinghuys had the distinction of running onto the park with Kitshoff on his Bok debut against Ireland in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), in 2016, when they replaced Tendai Mtawarira and Frans Malherbe in the front row.

They went on to help the Boks clinch a 19-13 win in the match, which sealed a 2-1 series win over the Irish, and Redelinghuys recalled that time fondly.

“Obviously I played against him before he got the call up and he was one of the toughest guys to scrum against. So I always had respect for him in regards to that,” explained Redelinghuys.

“I think his debut was against Ireland, when we both went on at the same time, and we came on straight into a scrum and won a penalty. So that’s just a special memory.

“What I really admired about Kitsie is when he came into the Springbok setup, I remember him training really hard and looking after his conditioning well. More than any other prop that I knew.”

Redelinghuys continued: “So for a loosehead being as big and mobile as he is, and having as many skills as he had, that for me was something special. Normally big loosies (loosehead props) are big and strong at the set piece but not that good in the loose.

“But if you look at his defensive breakdown work, how many balls he has stolen, how many cross cover tackles he has made over the years, and offloads, he was just such a dynamic player. So it was fun playing with him, but not so fun playing against him.”