Stormers coach John Dobson hailed his side’s clinical display after their 32-19 victory against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The visitors scored four tries – including a penalty try – to claim a valuable bonus point and end the hosts’ four-match winning streak in emphatic fashion.
The Stormers led 10-7 at half-time before producing a composed second-half performance to pull clear and secure what Dobson described as a hugely significant win.
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“I honestly think we turned the game when we had the two yellows,” Dobson said.
“There were two big things – that defensive set at the start of the second half when they came at us with what must have been 20 phases and we managed to repel that. Our maul and scrum worked well too.”
The result lifts the Stormers up to second on the Vodacom URC standings, while the Bulls remain eighth.
Dobson admitted the victory was particularly satisfying given the scrutiny his team had faced in recent weeks.
“I think where we came from, there was a lot of doubt, questions and you think about the noise around some of our players, a team that’s unbeaten, a lot of hype, ‘what’s happened to the Stormers’. It was probably our most important win and I honestly think, our most dominant performance.”
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Stormers captain Ruhan Nel praised his side’s composure, particularly during a spell when they were reduced to 13 players.
“I think our patience on the field today was exceptional. The Bulls have so many attacking threats and Springboks. At one stage I was looking up and saw Kurt-Lee [Arendse], Canan [Moodie] and Handré [Pollard] and then when they brought on Willie [le Roux] I was thinking ‘flip, we’re playing the Springbok backline!’
“I think the patience we showed when we were 13 on the field was a real sign of maturity as well. Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] and Boogie [Warrick Gelant] controlled that really well.”
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Dobson also paid tribute to the quality of the opposition.
“It’s a really good Bulls team, all around the field. This is a great model. That we can produce a game like this. It’s a big win for us because this is not an average Bulls team or a Bulls team in crisis. It’s a team with momentum and real class, well-lead and well-organised.”
Photo: Gallo Images
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