Dobbo: 'The project is taking shape'
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson shed light on the growth of his team following their brave performance against the All Blacks in the Greatest Rivalry tour opener on Friday evening.
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Dobson made his mission clear on several occasions throughout the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup seasons: Win both tournaments in 2029.
The Stormers boast 10 2026 Junior World Championship winners, including Yaqeen Ahmed, who made his franchise debut against New Zealand and former schoolboy sensation Markus Muller, who represented South Africa ‘A’ against Zimbabwe earlier this season.
They also secured the services of Cheslin Kolbe and Bok captain Siya Kolisi until 2029.
Dubbed “Project 2029”, the Stormers boss feels that the team is heading in the right direction and has made significant strides in the past three years.
“We’re making real progress,” Dobson told Rugby365.
“Obviously Immy’s [Imad Khan] injury was terrible, and he’s a big part of that [Project 2029] in such a cool, storied game.
“I mean Immy, with all due respect to Dewies [Dewaldt Duvenhage], it would’ve been such a nice game for him; that’s the important part.
“But the project [is growing] with Immy, Yaqeen [Ahmed] and Wandile Mlaba, who absolutely confirmed that he’ll be a fantastic Stormer.
“It feels really progressive looking at guys like Vernon Matongo and even Herman Lubbe coming on at the end, even if he gave away a scrum penalty.”
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Dobson compared the current crop of players to the team that won the 2022 URC title and seasons that followed, and was optimistic about what the future holds for the blue and white hoops.
“I feel like we’re growing. If you look at two or three years ago, you could take out the 10 guys who would’ve played across this weekend who weren’t available due to injury and give or eight players who are with the Springboks.
“That’s minus 15 [players] to be conservative, and you go on to produce a performance like this, I think the project is taking shape.
“And the [average] age is also coming down despite Dewies and Brannas [Deon Fourie].”
The Stormers open their 2026/27 URC season away from home against Connacht in Galway on September 25.
