14 October 2026
DHL Stormers head coach John Dobson has warned his charges to brace for a ferocious physical onslaught in their upcoming Champions Cup clash against a revamped Bristol Bears side on Saturday at 16:15 SAST in Cape Town.
The Bristolians have shed their tag as mere flair players, adding considerable muscle and breakdown grit to their dangerous attacking arsenal. The visitors proved their credentials on South African soil last season with an emphatic victory over the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria.
"They came here and won at Loftus, which is not an easy place to go," Dobson told reporters. "They’ve always been a deep attacking team, but I’m seeing more dog in their defence, a lot more competition at the breakdown, and a lot more direct in the 22 than maybe they were a while ago with the pick-and-goes."
The Stormers boss highlighted Bristol's newly revamped set-piece as a primary threat for the weekend encounter. He expects Bristol boss Pat Lam to unleash his heaviest hitters after rotating his squad in a 30-7 Premiership loss to Saracens.
"Their maul is the best in the Premiership at the moment, which is not something we associate with Bristol," Dobson added. "They’re going to keep our diaries full, especially defensively."
Dobson expects a classic, uncompromising battle against an opponent that refuses to take a backward step. Drawing parallels to the ultra-competitive nature of English club rugby, he expects a tight, unpredictable contest.
"Only one time we got away from an English side, Sale Sharks two years ago, we put 40-odd on them," said Dobson. "They’re organised, and they show a real British Bulldog, and it’ll be the same from Bristol. Watching their Premiership … it’s almost ‘Any Given Sunday’ stuff."