VIDEO: Stormers must regain their 'fizz' without Boks
The Stormers return home this week, after another disappointing United Rugby Championship tour that delivered just one win from three outings – with a 36-5 rout of fellow basement dwellers Zebre sandwiched between humbling losses to Ospreys (24-37) and Edinburgh (7-38).
That leaves the Stormers bottom of the standings with just five points, one less than the 15th-placed Zebre.
It is not getting any easier, as the next fortnight they face off against Munster and defending champions Glasgow Warriors – both teams who have beaten them in Cape Town in the tournament’s short history.
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson spoke of the ‘frustration’ in the camp with another poor start to the season and a cheerless road trip
He felt not everything that went wrong on tour was their own doing, but said the next two games holds the key to their season.
“If we can get some of our fizz back at home, we will feel okay for the rest of the season,” he said.
“It doesn’t feel as bad as last year,” he said of one win in three matches on tour, as opposed to the 2023 road trip when they lost all four matches.
“If we can get those two [games] right. we will be alive and kicking.
“There is a bit of pressure on us,” he said of their lowly position, adding: “It doesn’t feel like last year yet.
“If something goes wrong in the next two weeks, then it very much will be [as bad as last year].”
(WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson explains his plans for the way forward, after another humbling URC loss….)
Dobson said he will review some of the penalties his team conceded in a lopsided 14-6 count against the Cape Town-based franchise in Edinburgh at the weekend.
“We made too many mistakes,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “We are not the only people who made mistakes.
“There was one spell leading up to their first try [in the 18th minute by hooker Patrick Harrison],” he said, stopping short of blaming Welsh referee Ben Whitehouse for the oblique count.
He admitted a lack of discipline contributing to putting his team under pressure.
Once they were two scores behind and ‘chasing the game’, they allowed their frustration to get the better of them.
“It is hard to blame someone else with a scoreline of 7-38,” he said.
Dobson admitted only a couple of Springbok will be strengthening their squad in the coming weeks.
“We haven’t got many fit ones left,” he said of his available Springboks.
Players like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Steven Kitshoff and Deon Fourie are facing lengthy injury lay-offs, while captain Salmaan Moerat is also not available.
Utility forward Ben-Jason Dixon joined the Stormers on tour and featured in the last two matches, while utility back Damian Willemse is still trying to find his feet after a lengthy injury lay-off.
Manie Libbok and Frans Malherbe are still on their post-Rugby Championship rest and recuperation and will only feature against the Warriors in Stellenbosch on October 26.
@king365ed
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