The South African World Cup champion who played for Ulster, Steven Kitshoff, will exit the province after the current season concludes. According to The Irish Times, a mutual agreement has been reached between the South African loosehead prop and Ulster to terminate his contract one season early.
The player, who has an impressive tally of 83 caps at the age of 32, was a significant acquisition for Ulster on a three-year term subsequent to the 2023 World Cup. Kitshoff may have participated in twelve matches and displayed satisfactory form thus far, yet the decision to sever ties appears to have been mutually agreed upon for a variety of undisclosed reasons.
This decision with Kitshoff arrives at a critical time as Ulster is planning to let go multiple players at the season conclusion. It also aligns with notable changes within the organisation, such as the appointment of Richie Murphy to replace Dan McFarland as head coach and the departure of the chief executive Jonny Petrie.
Kitshoff holds the distinction of appearing in each and every game in South Africa’s victorious World Cup campaigns of 2019 and 2023, evolving from a ‘Bomb Squad’ member in the first win to a leading loosehead in France.
However, his stint with Ulster seems to have taken a toll on him, with the necessity to return home often to be with his family and the club’s financial struggles over the past couple of years.