Kitshoff is coming home

Iconic DHL Stormer Steven Kitshoff will be coming home to Cape Town next season, having signed a two-year deal to return to the fold.

The powerful loosehead prop, who has 134 DHL Stormers caps to his name, will return to Cape Town in July after being released from his current contract with Irish side Ulster.

The experienced 32-year-old led the DHL Stormers to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship title in 2022 and will return to the team he grew up supporting for the second time in his career, having spent three seasons with Bordeaux from 2015 to 2017.

An immensely popular figure in Cape Town and with DHL Stormers supporters around the world, Kitshoff will add valuable leadership to the squad, on top of his considerable talents in the front row.

DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said that having Kitshoff in the squad is a major boost for many different reasons.

“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,” he said.

Having left at the end of last season to join Ulster, the opportunity for Kitshoff to return home following the recent investment from the Red Disa Consortium in the DHL Stormers was too good to pass up.

He said that he is grateful to be able to return to the DHL Stormers where he hopes to see out his career following the stint in Belfast.

“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,” he said.