CHAMPIONS CUP
Leighton Koopman|Published
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson praised his team’s resilience after they overcame a challenging period with just 13 players on the field to secure a commanding 49-12 victory over Bristol Bears in their Champions Cup opener at DHL Stadium on Saturday.
The Cape side endured a difficult spell in the first and second half when a red and yellow card left them numerically disadvantaged, threatening to derail their efforts against a dangerous Bristol outfit.
However, rather than allowing the visitors to capitalise on playing against 14 players and then 13 for a brief period, the Stormers dug deep defensively, showing plenty of composure under pressure to weather the storm before restoring their full complement of players.
Dobson admitted he was unhappy with the cards conceded and felt his team had started the match somewhat flat, but was particularly pleased with how they managed the situation.
“The cards affected our ability to bring our big players into the game, because that final 10 minutes of the first half is when you want their legs to start going a bit. Obviously, when you go down to 14 and then 13 players, you lose that,” Dobson said.
“But I think the way the team managed that was good, and when we got back to 15 players, you could see our energy.”
Their ability to absorb pressure was underpinned by a determined defensive effort, while their dominance in the scrum and rolling maul superiority provided a strong platform from which to launch their attack.
That physical dominance proved crucial as the home side gradually took control of the contest, turning a potentially tricky opening European assignment into a convincing victory that included seven tries. The bonus-point win also gives the Stormers an important early boost in a demanding Champions Cup pool, where home results can prove decisive in determining qualification for the knockout stages.
Dobson stressed that, despite it being only the opening round, the stakes were already high, with dropping points at home potentially leaving teams with an uphill battle to reach the last 16.
“The whole thing about this game is that it’s so curious. It’s the first game of the pool, but it’s actually a must-win game,” he added.
“If we hadn’t won today, we’d basically be out of the European Cup, or we’d be playing away in the play-offs. So, this was really about the outcome, and I’m grateful to the team for getting that.”