Springboks prop Steven Kitshoff says he remains determined to continue his rugby career despite being told that a serious neck injury left him "two millimetres from death".

The 32-year-old, who left Ulster and returned to South Africa with the Stormers in the summer, suffered the injury while representing Western Province in a Currie Cup match in September. While he heard "three cracking sounds" in his neck during a scrum, he played on having initially not understood the severity of the situation.

Two months later, however, he underwent major surgery to fuse two cervical vertebrae with bone from his hip. The complex procedure was successful and, remarkably, Kitshoff is now targeting a return to the field if his recovery goes to plan.

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In an interview with Rapport, the loosehead revealed just how close he had come to a potential tragedy, with a surgeon telling him in no uncertain terms how badly things could have gone.

“It was just another scrum, then three cracking sounds – pop, pop, pop,” he said as he reflected on how he sustained the injury. “I played on, thinking it was a muscle strain. [But] today I know: I was two millimetres from a catastrophe, from my death.

“The first thing the specialist said to me was: ‘Listen, you’re lucky we didn’t bury you in a week.’ Because the vertebra that shifted is so close to my brain canal. Without the operation, I’d never play rugby again.”

Despite coming so close to losing his life, however, Kitshoff is determined to add to his 83 international caps and is targeting a return to the Springboks squad in time for the next Rugby World Cup in 2027, when he will be 35. The prop says that if he is told he needs to give up the game he will listen, but equally is determined to "go for it" if recovery goes well.

“I’ll see the specialist in January to assess my recovery. If my neck holds up, I’m going for it,” he said. "If I have to retire, I’ll be satisfied. But I’m not done yet – I’ve always been a warrior for my team.

"Rugby’s a dangerous sport, but I’ll give my all because I’m fighting for my team.”