Springbok star unveiled at first Ulster training session
Springbok Steven Kitshoff unveiled at first Ulster training session
After claiming his second World Cup winner’s medal, Steven Kitshoff’s career as an Ulster player officially began three weeks ago.
Over a year after the deal was first announced, the long-awaited arrival of the South African loosehead prop in Belfast finally happened this past weekend. As soon as he touched down, he was at Kingspan Stadium working with his new squad.
The 31-year-old’s arrival from Cape Town was documented by Ulster on Sunday. A day later, they released a video of him training in preparation for his United Rugby Championship trip to Glasgow.
As he did in 2019, starting all three knockout games, the 83-cap prop could make his Ulster debut against the Glasgow Warriors, capping his World Cup winning campaign. W’s first game since departing the Stade de France field with a 52-minute lead over the All Blacks in favor of the Springboks. With Ulster one spot behind them and South Africa in second place in the URC, head coach Dan McFarland would undoubtedly want to hire the services of a double World Cup winner as he looks to overtake his rivals. Kitshoff appeared in all seven of South Africa’s games in Glasgow.
Duane Vermeulen, the most recent World Cup winner, is the other South African to have represented Ulster, and Kitshoff will carry on a rich tradition of South Africans playing for Ulster. In the province, two additional well-liked former Springboks are Marcell Coetzee and Ruan Pienaar.
“It’s my ambition to be part of the squad that takes that next step and secures silverware for the province,” Kitshoff stated upon the announcement of his joining last year. Their prospects of winning silverware this season will only increase with the coming of the Springboks, who had a fantastic start to the season, winning four of their first five games.