The DHL Stormers have named their squad to face Connacht in the opening round of the United Rugby Championship (URC) in Galway. Following the team selection, Head Coach John Dobson addressed the media on Thursday to outline the team's tactical focus, technical challenges, and the historical context surrounding this fixture.
Preparing his squad to face Connacht at the Sportsground in Galway, Dobson balanced the deep emotional scars of the past with a sharp, humorous outlook on the technical challenges awaiting his side.
Dobson did not shy away from the ghost of last April’s 33-24 defeat to Connacht in Cape Town. Reflecting on that match, which immediately followed the tragic passing of beloved team manager Chippie Solomons, Dobson laid bare the emotional reality his squad faced:
“It was Ruhan [Nel] who was quoted as saying it was one of the darkest days of our careers, and losing the game was a really tough experience for us,” Dobson told reporters on Thursday. “We feel like we want to try to put that right. We could have sent the five points across, because we weren’t in a state to play.”
For Dobson, this trip to Ireland is less about a bitter revenge plot and more about a deeply personal chance to redress the history. He acknowledged that Connacht has consistently “given us a hard time,” making this a massive task to kick off the season.
To overcome the Irish hosts, Dobson wants his team to replicate the elite form they displayed against powerhouse opposition during the mid-year. He noted that the Stormers need to hit a familiar blueprint of excellence:
“What we’d like to know is that we can do it for a third time, and what I mean by that is that we were exceptional in Dublin against Leinster. We were very good against the All Blacks,” he explained.
Setting his sights firmly on a perfect start to their touring schedule, the coach added: “If we can produce the same tomorrow, it would be OK. That’s what I’d like to see; that’ll give us a win. Then we go to Edinburgh to play for two from two. That’ll be where we want to be.”
