DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson hailed his side’s remarkable resilience, saying they thoroughly deserved their 29–15 bonus-point win over Connacht despite a late injury crisis that threatened to derail their United Rugby Championship (URC) opener.
The Stormers kickstarted their 2026/27 campaign spectacularly at a windy Dexcom Stadium on Friday night, overcoming pre-match injury disruptions to secure a maximum five-point haul on the road.
The victory was made all the more impressive given the chaotic 24 hours leading up to kick-off. The Stormers lost influential loose forwards Evan Roos and Marcel Theunissen to sudden soft-tissue injuries.
Reflecting pitchside after the final whistle, a relieved but proud Dobson did not mince his words about the magnitude of the performance.
"It’s going to sound arrogant, but I thought we deserved to win," Dobson stated frankly. "With what happened to us in the last 24 hours, losing Evan and Marcel to the 4G pitch, we were completely up against it."
Despite the chaos, the Stormers stuck rigidly to a smart, territory-driven game plan perfectly suited to the challenging Irish conditions.
"The way the boys stuck to the territory plan in that first half, playing into the elements, was outstanding," Dobson praised. "To come here with a completely reshuffled pack and play with that kind of tactical discipline is massive for this group."
While Connacht pushed hard in the second half, the Stormers' bench proved to be the differentiator. Late tries from replacement prop Sazi Sandi, Paulo (playing out of position), and a brilliant finishing touch from rookie scrumhalf Ezekiel Ngobeni sealed the bonus point in the dying minutes.
For Dobson, the most rewarding aspect of the victory was watching fringe players and debutants stand tall under immense pressure, especially with several frontline international stars still resting.
"We had a hooker playing on the flank, guys making debuts in one of the toughest places to play in the URC, and they didn't blink," said Dobson. "Winning away in Galway is hard enough with your best team. To do it like this shows the growth and depth in this squad. I’m incredibly proud of them."
The bonus-point triumph gives the Stormers the perfect launchpad for their northern hemisphere tour as they quickly turn their focus to next Friday’s clash against Edinburgh.
