Gutted Stormers will switch focus back to URC, says Dobson

A gutted Stormers team will switch their focus back to achieving success in the United Rugby Championship after they were edged 28-27 by Toulon in a high-octane Champions Cup last 16 encounter in France on Saturday, coach John Dobson said.

The outcome was in the melting pot until the dying moments before the Stormers endured the heartbreak of being denied a try in debatable circumstances at a vibrant Stade Mayol stadium.

The Cape side thought they had snatched the game out of the fire, but joy turned to despair when it was ruled the Stormers had been held up over the line following a TMO review.

A frustrated Dobson questioned the decision not to award a try to his team after Toulon flank Charles Ollivon, who was on the ground and appeared to be offside, prevented lock Adre Smith from scoring.

“I was very impressed with the fight shown by the Stormers,” Dobson said.

“We needed to score twice with eight minutes to go, and we should never have been in that position.

“We would’ve loved to have won this game at one of the cathedrals of rugby, but we were maybe not quite good enough in some areas.

“The Stormers didn’t get our usual scrum dominance, and it just seemed to be a bit more of a mess. But our players mustn’t lose heart – it was still a fantastic performance. Now we have to focus on the URC.”

“We had to adapt to some Champions Cup interpretations. Obviously a bit frustrated at the end there. Once it goes to the TMO, then maybe you can’t see the grounding, and the on-field decision for some reason is no try.

“What’s frustrating for us is that Toulon flank Charles Ollivan is clearly inside the field of play and on the ground. I believe Adre Smith got it down, but I don’t understand why it wasn’t awarded. A very frustrating way for the game to end.”

Dobson said work needs to be done on the Stormers’ defensive drills ahead of their next URC match against Irish side Connacht at the Cape Town Stadium on April 18.

“I think we could have been more accurate around some of our spacing on defence, but we defended really well with heart and physicality. And you can see that Toulon was visibly tiring after some great defensive sets,” he said.

We would’ve loved to have won this game at one of the cathedrals of rugby, but we were maybe not quite good enough in some areas

—  Coach John Dobson

“A very big moment would have been after we scored to go ahead and then we really messed up an exit and ended up with them scoring a try, which is one of the worst things in rugby.”

Stormers playmaker Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu said the option of a drop goal was not considered in the frenetic final moments.

“We probably had them in the contest,” he said.

“It wasn’t the sort of game that we were looking for a bonus point or needing to win by any sort of points difference. Upon reflection, I probably could’ve dropped into the pocket, but it’s easier said when things don’t go our way.

“I don’t want to make any comments on what I saw [about the disallowed late try], but I think we could have been a lot more fortunate with some of the calls towards the end. In the one maul I remember seeing JD Schickerling’s feet in the air when he was trying to get the ball to the back of the maul, whatever that means.

“Some people thought it was a try [at the end] and some people didn’t. I think we really got the game plan right. We got a lot of unforced errors out of them. We did well in the kicking game and any scraps that were on the floor.

“I think we can be proud of our performance. It’s not the result we want, obviously, but we won’t go out with our heads down.”

The Herald