Stormers director of rugby John Dobson admitted he got the profiles wrong of his loosehead props, which has affected the Cape side’s scrum this season.
After the forced retirement of Steven Kitshoff this past week, Dobson said they are out to rectify the error by signing a quality scrummager for the next season.
With seven matches remaining in their United Rugby Championship campaign, the side are still outside of qualification for the knockouts.
Dobson didn’t want to lay the blame for their struggles with the loosehead situation, but key long-term injuries have taken a toll on their once destructive scrum.
Kitshoff (neck) and former Bok Lizo Gqoboka (Achilles) were out for the season, and disruptive niggles to Sti Sithole and Ali Vermaak throughout the campaign added to their woes.
One of the greatest to ever do it, thanks for everything Kitsie. #iamastormer #spicyplum #kitsie pic.twitter.com/FExBNIoprI
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) February 25, 2025
However, what Dobson did not cater for was the career-ending injury to Kitshoff that has left them in a predicament in that position. The 33-year-old was forced to call it quits after the serious neck injury picked up in the Currie Cup, while all the experienced looseheads are over 30.
Vermaak is 35, Sithole 31, Gqoboka 34 and veteran Brok Harris recently turned 40. Harris will retire after this season.
Only Vernon Matongo (23) is an up-and-coming loosehead, but he hasn’t had adequate experience at the top level yet.
Dobson revealed this week they will confirm a signing “in due course”, with Bok loosehead Ntuthuko Mchunu tipped as a replacement for Kitshoff.
While it hasn’t been confirmed, Dobson alluded to the 25-year-old Springbok as someone they would be interested in.
"I can count my blessings and be very grateful that I am still alive" - retiring #Stormers and #Springboks prop Steven Kitshoff on the seriousness of his neck injury @IOLsport @CapeTimesSA @TheCapeArgus @TheStar_news pic.twitter.com/LeZkq1eXN6
— Leighton Koopman (@Leighton_K) February 25, 2025
“There definitely will be one signing we’re going to be announcing soon,” the director of rugby said.
"We must replace Kitshoff, just with that age profile I’ve mentioned – three players over 30 and one at 23, who’s going to be exceptional. There will be some announcements in due course. But, I didn’t have the profile of the looseheads correct.”
They were banking on Kitshoff to make a massive impact after getting him back from Ulster in Ireland, but that plans did not pan out.
Instead, they had to forge ahead with the looseheads they already had, but the injuries to the individuals affected them heavily.
"Kitsie’s injury significantly impacted our performance. He was our captain, a world-class player. We ended up with a poor profile of looseheads in terms of age and injury, and that put us under pressure (this season),” Dobson said.
"Ali wasn’t as serious as Steve (Kitshoff), but he was out for long, Lizo went with a season-ending one, Sti struggled with soft-tissue (injuries). The scrum dominance and culture just wasn’t there anymore.”