This season the Stormers completed fifth on the log, resulting in them dealing with their first ever away knockout match in the competitors.
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson mentioned that he was happy with the expansion of his group over a troublesome season regardless of them struggling their worst end in the United Rugby Championship (URC) to this point.
In their first two seasons in the competitors the Stormers completed second and third on the log respectively at the tip of the pool stage, earlier than occurring to achieve the ultimate, with them successful the inaugural version and ending as runners-up final season.
ALSO READ: Dobson can’t fault Stormers effort in quarterfinal loss towards Glasgow
This season nevertheless the Stormers completed fifth on the log, resulting in them dealing with their first away knockout match of the competitors, which ended with Glasgow Warriors clinching a 27-10 win over them this previous weekend to ship them out at the quarterfinal stage.
“I’m pleased with the growth, in terms of getting experience, keeping the squad together and playing an away playoff despite the result in these conditions. The conditions were really tough (in Scotland), but we showed that fight,” defined Dobson after the match.
“We haven’t been as fluid as had been in the primary two seasons. But we had been thirteenth after the (November) tour (to Europe and the UK) and we got here again and completed fifth and we had been in the combat right here.
“So we belong at the top table of the URC. That’s important to confirm that. We aren’t just a flash in the pan. Going to two finals and then finishing fifth this season proved that we aren’t a flash in the pan.”
Injury disaster
Dobson pointed to the variety of star gamers that the Stormers misplaced to damage over the season as one of many key causes for his or her struggles in the pool part and in Saturday’s playoff.
“Not many teams could take out Evan Roos, Damian Willemse, Deon Fourie, they are world-class players, and win. We showed character playing without them. It gives me hope for this group,” mentioned Dobson.
“It’s brilliant. It gives me hope that we can get towards having two squads. We are still way off that, but we are a lot closer than we were at the beginning of the season.”
The Stormers are additionally bolstering their shares forward of subsequent season with fan favorite, Springbok Steven Kitshoff, returning after a season at Irish facet Ulster, and one other former participant in lock JD Schickerling again after spending the previous few seasons in Japan.
“Those are two massive acquisitions. We are basically keeping this team together. Then we are adding JD and Steven. We will also get Deon, Damian and Evan back. Hopefully Seabelo (Senatla) will be back and Ruhan Nel is coming back,” mentioned Dobson.
“So we will mount a better campaign. We won’t tour as poorly as we did this season. I am very confident about the future. I just would have loved to be in a semifinal. We were deservedly beaten in the end.”
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