VIDEO: The master, the pupil and their palaver in the passage
Sometimes the real story is not reflected on the scoreboard.
This was the case with Leicester Tigers’ hard-earned win over a depleted Stormers team in a Champions Cup Round One encounter at the weekend.
The scoreboard told a story of laborious endeavour and heartache.
It took Tigers more than 80 uneasy minutes to secure the win and send the Stormers away – heartbroken and empty-handed.
Stormers coach John Dobson, expressing his obvious disappointment with the result, said the real value can’t be measured in what’s on the scoreboard.
The positives include players like rookie flyhalf Jurie Matthee, No.8 Keke Morabe and lock Connor Evans (to name just a few) learning valuable lessons in how to play in the tough European conditions.
“It still feels like a kick in the guts,” he said of the Josh Bassett try on the stroke of full-time that denied the Stormers not only a win, but also a losing bonus point.
He admitted that the game is a ‘glimpse to the future’ of the Stormers – with the lock pairing of Connor Evans (just 21) and Hendré Stassen (slightly older at 25) the epitome of the performance at Welford Road.
“The positives far outweigh the negatives,” he said of the trip to Leicester.
The most valuable lesson would have been for apprentice No.10 Matthee to have played opposite two-time World Cup-winning Springbok Handre Pollard.
Both were schooled at Paarl Gimnasium – Pollard matriculating in 2012 and Matthee six years later in 2018.
Pollard scored 20 points as the Tigers were made to work hard for a nervy 35-26 victory against a depleted Stormers in the opening round of the Champions Cup.
Pollard’s haul included a crucial try.
Matthee, making his debut at flyhalf for the Stormers, contributed 16 points – two conversions, three penalties and a drop-goal.
“They are sitting outside here in the passage, talking now,” Dobson told @rugby365com, adding: “It is so special.
“Jurie has never even worn a Stormers jersey before.
“He just seemed so mature.
“Nothing bothered him, even when things went wrong.
“Now Pollard and Matthee are sitting in the passage talking.
“It is a good reflection on South Africa and a cool story,” Dobson added.
The South African visitors were already preparing for next weekend’s visit of Stade Rochelais and fielded a young side.
However, the United Rugby Championship side did themselves proud and took a 17-10 lead into half-time.
Leicester Tigers rallied in the second half scoring three tries and secured the bonus point in stoppage time.
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