Coach Dobson proud of the Stormers’ defensive effort
STORMERS head coach John Dobson says he’s “pretty proud” of the team’s performance in their United Rugby Championship match against Edinburgh at the weekend.
The game ended 20-20 after a high-intensity opening half.
While the second half wasn’t as easy on the eye, it was still a big effort from the Cape side and a much-improved performance to their first two games in the competition against Benetton and Munster.
The Stormers fought back from an early 14-point deficit in the Scottish capital. Edinburgh scored two tries in the first 10 minutes, but the Stormers hit back to draw level 20-20 at the break.
While the second half was actionpacked, neither side could crack the opposition as solid defence was the theme for the scoreless stanza.
A win would have been preferred but Dobson said he felt his side “represented well” in their first three games in the European competition.
“I am feeling a little bit frustrated as one gets with draws, but with losing Adre (Smith) and our frontline nine and 10, we did okay. Edinburgh is not a bad team. I’m pretty proud, but I would have liked to win, obviously,” he said.
“There was quite a strong wind. It’s our first time in 4G (the artificial field surface), which is very slippery when it is wet. It got trickier and trickier, and you saw the team going for contestables more and more, and that is something that we lost.”
The Stormers face the Dragons on Friday night in their last game until the end of November.
“If we get five points against the Dragons this week … if we win, I think we will have done okay. It’s our first trip here and our squad isn’t at full strength, so I think we represented well.”
Asked what stood out for him in the Stormers’ game, Dobson hailed the defence on the day.
“Defensively we were superb. The fact that you see Edinburgh kicking the ball out while playing at home says a lot about our defence. I think if we can play on a dry pitch with our full team, we would do well.”
He went on to add that the squad have a clean bill of health after Round Three, while explaining that they are going to appeal the suspension of lock Smith for allegedly biting Munster hooker Niall Scannell.
“We are going to empty the tank next week. We got through unscathed. Manie (Libbok) and Stefan Ungerer will be in next week. Ruhan Nel could have played but he just rolled his ankle in the week.
“I am not sure what the due process is, but we will be taking it up, no doubt. The DCs here are very different to what they are in South Africa, but we are going to appeal it.”