Steven Kitshoff to break contract with Bordeaux for SA return

Steven Kitshoff carries while playing for the Springboks in the 2016 Rugby Championships. Photo: EPA/Dan Peled

Steven Kitshoff carries while playing for the Springboks in the 2016 Rugby Championships. Photo: EPA/Dan Peled

Published Mar 24, 2017

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BORDEAUX – Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff will break his contract with French Top 14 club Bordeaux Bégles at the end of the 2016/17 season, in order to return to South Africa.

Kitshoff, 25, has 10 caps for the Springboks, and would fall foul of SA Rugby's new policy, should he stay in France. SA Rugby announced a new policy recently, which will require overseas-players to have played at least 30 Tests for the South Africa, before being considered for Springbok selection.

The policy comes into effect on July 1 this year and any overseas Bok player with fewer than that number will effectively see an end to his Bok career, unless he moves back to SA.

Bok openside flanker Marcell Coetzee, currently at Ulster, falls into the same category, although he already has 28 caps, and could reach 30, if selected for the Boks' home tests against the French in June.

In January, president of Bordeaux Bégles, Laurent Marti, suggested that Kitshoff had explained to him that he would like to break his contract, in order to be eligible for Springbok rugby. Marti expressed some sympathy for the player's predicament but questioned whether or not SA Rugby would be able to compensate the club for the last year of Kitshoff's contract.

From South African reports, it appears clear that SA Rugby will indeed compensate Bordeaux and persuade the Stormers to contract the prop for Super Rugby. While this comes a huge blow not only to the promising prop, who clearly can only benefit from international club rugby experience, it will leave the club without another international signing. This will follow the departure of former Wallaby Adam Ashley-Cooper who completes his contract this year.

On the other hand, the Stormers may be happy to welcome home their former player.

African News Agency

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