Video: 'We were quantifiably better'
REACTION: It might not have been the most flamboyant display from the Stormers.
However, head coach John Dobson has huge praise for his team’s performance on Saturday.
The Stormers claimed their fourth straight win of the season with a 17-7 win over Jaguares on Saturday.
They are the only unbeaten team in the competition following Chiefs’ shock defeat to Brumbies in Hamilton.
The Cape Town franchise’s first-half performance was a frustrating affair especially for the head coach John Dobson who was requesting a high-pace match throughout the week after their Round three win against the Lions.
After 40 minutes of play Dobson’s team, only had three points to show for their impressive forwards dominance and heaps of possessions and territory.
Despite the lacklustre first-half, in the second stanza, a Herschel Jantjies’ intercept try under the posts ignited Newlands Stadium momentarily. While Ruhan Nel scored a crucial try for the second straight weekend.
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“I was frustrated last week because I thought that we won the game with character, ” Dobson told reporters.
“We are much happier tonight [Saturday] – it may not be so easy to see when watching replays, and we did have to grind it out, but I thought our processes and everything was much better,”
Dobson explained: “Our breakdown was superb, our set-piece was solid, ball retention was good against a team that wanted to hack the ball and make us start back in our 22.
“In terms of the stuff we wanted to improve, we were quantifiably better. Turning over four balls in their 22’ in the first half was frustrating.
“But the [Jaguares] are a really good team and their tactic was good in the rain, holding us down.
He added: “Maybe those long passes from the flyhalf to a tight forward in the rain, we got that tactically wrong. But generally on a dry day, with that amount of territory and possession, I was pretty pleased.
“The frustration was at half time that the score was only 3-0, however, without being arrogant, I thought we thoroughly deserved to win that game,”
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While the Stormers’ set-piece and defence have been driving force behind their unbeaten run and has been proven to be a very reliable factor on game day, one can’t say the same when it comes to their back three.
The trio of fullback Dillyn Leyds, wings Sergeal Petersen and Seabelo Senatla have yet to produce a noteworthy performance and showcase their lethal attacking prowess – – a factor Dobson admitted has been his major concern since the season started.
While the lack of an efficient kicker is another headache for the mentor.
“There were a couple of times this season where, shared across the back three, Damian Willemse included, we haven’t realised we’ve taken the ball back or we return a kick when their chase line still 30m off and we’re kicking into touch and these guys are getting massive territorial gains and line-outs. It’s not new this season; it is something I’m certainly going to address.
“There are challenges around the back three and kicking, definitely. Willemse is not known for kicking and neither is Dillyn [Leyds] and the wings aren’t really kickers, that is potentially a red flag or an error for us,”
The Stormers top the overall log with 17 points, three points ahead of defending champions Crusaders and four more than Brumbies.
The Cape Town side will host the Blues on Saturday, February 29.
By Leezil Hendricks
@leezil07
@rugby365com
*Also read: Sloppy Stormers stay unbeaten, go top
