Prop Steven Kitshoff will leave Bordeaux to return to South Africa at the end of the current European season.

Kitshoff joined the French club on a two-year deal in 2015, but with his contract set to expire at the end of this season (in June), SA Rugby swooped to lure him back to South Africa. SA Rugby allegedly asked Western Province Rugby for financial assistance to secure Kitshoff’s return.

According to Rapport, the 25-year-old was offered a national contract last week, and one of the terms emerging from the negotiations is that Cape Town union and SA Rugby have to pay an undisclosed fee to Bordeaux.

Kitshoff is the first player to return home after SA Rugby announced that only overseas-based Springboks with more than 30 Test caps will be eligible for national selection as of 1 July.

Kitshoff has only played 10 Tests for the Springboks after making his debut in 2016.

Bok coach Allister Coetzee has also requested that SA Rugby works on bringing loose forwards Marcell Coetzee (Ulster) and Duane Vermeulen (Toulon) back to South African rugby, but without a main sponsor for the national team, no negotiations with the players have yet taken place.

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images