Stormers 'just wanted it more'
REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson said his team’s 24-10 victory over the Dragons in Newport on Friday has put them in a good position in the United Rugby Championship ahead of a couple of home games.
The win was the Stormers’ first in the tournament, and they will now head back to Cape Town with seven points from their four-match tour.
The Stormers trailed 3-10 at one stage but their pack became increasingly dominant and were deserved winners, with the Dragons conceding several penalties.
Stormers wing Leolin Zas scored two tries for the Stormers, while Manie Libbok added four penalties and a conversion.
“We were desperate for a win on the tour,” Dobson told reporters via an online media conference after the match.
“It was a supreme physical effort. I think the Dragons are one of the most physical teams in the league and it was a great pack of forwards they had.
“Our belief sort of built as we started to take their forwards’ legs and we just wanted it more.”
They say that the forwards win you rugby games and the backs decide by how much. A proper shift from the big men up front at Rodney Parade last night. #iamastormer #dhldelivers #URC pic.twitter.com/YZ7DcWRirB
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 16, 2021
‘We will take it’
Dobson said his team have improved with each match on tour.
“I think there has been a lot of growth in this tour. I think our maul defence is even better than what it was in the Currie Cup.
“There are a lot of positives. Without our traditional big front row, we scrummed against a pack that I think had six players in the Wales squad for the November Tests.
“It is fair to say we had the upper hand in the pack at the end. It is a tricky place to play. It [Rodney Parade] is very wet and slippery and we probably lacked a bit of rhythm in some ways, but we will take it,” the Stormers coach explained.
The Stormers are set to be significantly strengthened when they come up against Zebre on November 27 and Cardiff on December 4 in Cape Town.
“Going into matches against Zebre and Cardiff, which will now be at home, it [the win over the Dragons] has put us in a really good position in the tournament.
“We are going to have some guys coming back from the national team and injuries [for those games],” Dobson added.
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Main photo: @THESTORMERS
You must be Zas! What a way to end our first @URCOfficial tour. Bring on the home games at DHL Stadium. #DRAvSTO #iamastormer #dhldelivers #URC https://t.co/nPCm5VcK2j
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 15, 2021
