Not just 'Ons Mense', but players lining up at Cape Town stadium
To the casual observer, John Dobson might come across as a maundering motormouth.
However, if you take time to listen to the details in his pre- and post-match assemblages, it uncloaks his true passion for his team, the game and the people of Cape Town.
In true Dobson fashion, the media gathering after their United Rugby Championship win over Connacht at the Cape Town Stadium at the weekend produced a beaucoup of gems.
The core message was that they are busy ‘building something special’ and heading in the right direction.
It is the proverbial ‘phoenix’ rising from the ashes of a virtual bankrupt union and franchise placed under administration because of administrative bungling.
After facing a mass exodus and having indeed lost some premium names – like Siyamthanda Kolisi and Mbongeni Mbonambi – Cape Town did not represent an attractive rugby destination.
Dobson pointed out that a couple of years ago (2021, when the union was just placed into administration) he was phoning around trying to convince players like Manie Libbok to move to Cape Town.
Now, two years later, the Stormers coach is fielding calls from agents and players hoping for a chance with the Stormers.
And the building of that ‘legacy’ is not done yet.
In fact, Dobson and his team’s journey is in its infancy.
It is a voyage of taking the people of Cape Town to their own Jabulani.
And he is doing it with an assortment of heterogeneous characters – from Marvin Orie, coming from ‘Toilet City’ in Belhar, to captain Steven Kitshoff, who comes from a more traditional school like Paul Roos Gymnasium.
However, it is the people of Cape Town, Ons Mense as he calls them, that is the real driving force behind the Cinderella story.
“When we sat down after COVID and thought [about] what we’re trying to do with the Stormers, I didn’t think we’d be getting over 45,000 fans into the stadium over successive weeks as we’ve done now,” Dobson said after his team beat a willing Irish province Connacht 43-25 in their URC semifinal in Cape Town at the weekend.
He again spoke about their well-documented drive to ‘Make Cape Town smile’ through their performances…
“We know what rugby in the Western Cape looks like and what it means to the people,” the coach said.
“There is a police commander of a station in either Delft or Blue Downs who said that if the Stormers win, gender-based violence drops that night.
“You can extrapolate that as far as you want but it’s helluva powerful.”
Dobson said nothing that their fans do and go through to come and watch them play is lost on this team.
(Article continues below John Dobson interview …)
It even becomes part of their pre-game team talks.
“Those tickets in the west stand are ZAR300,” he explained.
“We talk about that in our team talk before the games.
“If you look at those people, they’re not swanning out of their penthouses in Blouberg or Clifton.
“They represent ‘Ons Mense’. They’re our people.
“They’re making some sacrifices.”
He recounted the story of one man who went to extraordinary lengths just to see the team play.
“I went to the airport a few days before the Connacht game and there was a guy there who came running up to me asking for a lift back to Cape Town.
“He didn’t know who I was and I said: ‘What are you doing?’
“He said: ‘I want to watch the Stormers on the weekend. I’m not taking public transport in the week’.
“He was coming every day to the airport to then find somebody to give him a lift into town to get to work.
“That’s what we’re playing for.
“That’s our big why!”
“Once you’ve got that ‘WHY‘ to get you off the ground and make those extra runs, then you’re into a special space.
“We feel that connection.
“We’re different to every other team.
“This team belongs to people across every demographic and LSM standing and our connection to that is so important to us.
“That’s what we’re trying to do – to really build something special here.
“If we get it right, we can make something very special here.”
Dobson said their ‘project’ is to restore the Stormers to their full pride, to fill up the Cape Town stadium seven or eight times a year.
That requires ‘commitment’ and ‘trust’ from the players.
“A couple of years ago0 I gave Manie [Libbok] a ring and he took a leap of faith.
“Now the phones are ringing.
“People want to come and play here.”
Dobson reiterated that their ‘connection’ with people from all walks of life is important for them.
He said every player has a story – from Marvin Orie, coming from ‘Toilet City’ in Belhar, to captain Steven Kitshoff, who comes from a more traditional school like Paul Roos Gymnasium.
“Frans [Malherbe] and Kitsie [Kitshoff] keep the brandy sales industry up.”
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* Picture credit: @THESTORMERS
