VIDEO - Dobson: 'We were in purgatory'
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson admitted that his players displayed more confidence than his coaching team during Friday’s United Rugby Championship Round 16 match against the Dragons in Newport.
The Stormers claimed a valuable 44-21 bonus-point victory at Rodney Parade, which kept them in the race for a top-four finish.
The South Africans trailed until the final quarter before blowing the Dragons away with three late tries.
“I think the coaches’ box was very quiet. We were in purgatory,” Dobson told reporters after the match.
“We couldn’t believe what was happening because this game was so important for us.
“The team seemed to have much more confidence than us. The big turning point wasn’t actually the attacking stuff.
“They [Dragons] got back into our 22 when they were 21-16 up and we kept them out and there were some immense tackles.
“Winning away and the character and the fight we showed was important for us.
“I will give them [Stormers players] credit because we [the coaches] were a little bit more panicked than the players.
“We did really well to turn it around at the end.”
Angelo Davids and replacement Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu both scored two tries for the fifth-placed visitors, with Evan Roos also touching down and Manie Libbok converting all five and adding three penalties.
Friday’s win also strengthened the Stormers’ push for Champions Cup qualification.
The top eight teams in the URC at the end of the season will qualify for the Champions Cup. However, if the Sharks are successful in their Challenge Cup Final against Gloucester, it will be reduced to seven.
“We actually talked about it on Monday. I really think the Sharks will beat Gloucester, so it is a top seven,” Dobson added.
By Jan de Koning and Warren Fortune
@rugby365com
