Kitsie’s return shows Stormers mean business
The new owners of the Stormers made the most emphatic statement on Friday evening that there is a new Rugby Sheriff in Cape Town — and this sheriff means business.
The Red Disa Consortium (RDC) officially took ownership of the Stormers and
Western Province professional rugby a fortnight ago, and their first move was to make the biggest possible one.
They’ve brought back one of the biggest names in Stormers history and the best loosehead prop in the sport in Steven Kitshoff — just six months after he left for Belfast to play for Ulster.
Kitshoff, who captained the Stormers to the inaugural United Rugby Championship (URC) title, and guided them to back-toback home finals, initially signed for Ulster on a three-year contract.
But the “Spicy Plum”, who started for Ulster in the URC against the Stormers in Cape Town a week ago, and played 56 minutes, will never again have to prop down against his rugby soulmates in a competitive match.
Kitshoff’s return also reunites the most feared propping combination in the game, with tighthead prop Frans Malherbe back from his post-World Cup recovery.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson has done an incredible job of producing Springboks, but he was insistent a year ago when Kitshoff’s departure was announced that the influential front rower would always be welcomed back. Dobson went on record to say that it was not a case of “if Kitsie returns” but rather “when Kitsie returns”.
The return has been quick, and it is because of the new ownership.
Kitshoff’s return to Stormers also reunites the most feared propping combination in the game, with tighthead prop Frans Malherbe back from his post-World Cup recovery
Kitshoff’s return is as big as the retention and renewal of Damian Willemse’s contract a year ago. Two of the world’s best players, both born in Cape Town and schooled at the magnificent Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, committed to the Stormers in Cape Town, when the richest clubs in the world were queuing for their signature.
Economics and the professional rugby landscape is such that players will always be contracted to overseas clubs because of the compelling power of the pound and the euro, but there has been a noticeable trend with private investment in South African rugby of big name South African players wanting to return and play in South Africa.
The Bulls, with Johann Rupert and
Patrice Motsepe as the owners, have — on the request of rugby boss Jake White — brought back several players in the past three seasons, and the Sharks owner, Marco Masotti, has not been shy in spending on big names like Vincent Koch and Eben Etzebeth, who had left South Africa for overseas clubs.
Regarding Etzebeth, there has been a narrative that he is a player who gives his all to the Springboks and is an incredible international investment, but he does not give his club a similar return. The facts kill this perception.
He has played the same minutes for both country and club over the past decade. The greatest change in trend is that in his first four years, he averaged 76 mins for both club and country. In his last three years, it is down to 56 mins a game for club and country.
He has played 253 professional games. I worked on data available for the past decade, which totalled his last 200 professional matches. The drop off is significant between 2019 and 2023, based on workload, having started 95% of his career games, and the introduction of a forwards’ dominant 6/2 and 7/1 bench split.
Etzebeth, when he plays, gives both country and club the same effort.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi’s data over his career produces a similar positive in that there is no let-up when he plays, be it for country or club.
What is different is the use of the substitute’s bench, and a change in role where Kolisi starts and empties the tank for 50 minutes before getting replaced.