WP: Back to breakdown drawing board
Province were obliterated by the Blue Bulls 47-29 in Pretoria last week and now face the challenge of the Free-State Cheetahs and their robust loose forwards in Bloemfontein come Friday.
Province have had an issue with a classic openside fetcher for some time now and even the Stormers were faced with a similar challenge during the Super Rugby campaign, where they used Springbok flank Siya Kolisi as an out-and-out fetcher even though his preferred position is No.7.
Dobson has been using Rynhardt Elstadt in the fetcher role as he praises his ability to use his strength to slow opposition ball down at the 
breakdown.
However Dobson admitted that he needs to go back to the drawing board regarding the ruck situation.
"We must take some responsibility there as we have let Rynhardt be a bit alone at the breakdown," said Dobson at a press conference in Cape Town.
The WP mentor's solution is to get blindside flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe – who has played a No.6 role before – to play more toward the ball and work together with Elstadt retaining their own ball and getting stuck in to the oppositions'.
"[Sikhumbuzo] Notshe plays really well at No.6, when he plays to the ball he gets involved so our plan is to get him involved.
"He will work in tandem with Rynhardt and we will then have less of two roamers, because we were outmuscled at our own breakdown [against the Bulls].
24-year-old flank Chris Cloete fills that void of an out-and-out fetcher but Dobson suggested that it would be unfair to drop the players who have been doing well in their respective positions.
"It is tempting to play Chris [Cloete], but Nimo [Nizaam Carr] is our captain and Rynhardt was a real worrier on Saturday and Notshe was outstanding against Griquas so he doesn't deserved to be dropped either.
"The idea of getting him [Notshe] to play more towards the ball will suit him."
Dobson is also mixing up his kicking game which WP displayed against the Bulls last week.
He believes that longer kicks may be the answer against Free-State as opposed to the more contestable up-and-unders which they utilised against the Bulls.
"We went very contestable against the Bulls and we are re-visiting that against the Cheetahs.
"We will look for more distance and that's where Cheslin, who has a big boot, will come into play.
Western Province tackle the Cheetahs on Friday in a rematch of the Round Two encounter which saw the Cape Outfit come out on top 9-3 in a wet and muddy Newlands.
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