Stormers coach John Dobson expressed his disappointment following the team’s 38-7 defeat to Edinburgh in Scotland on Saturday, highlighting frustrations with both his side’s execution and the officiating throughout the match, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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During the post-match interview, Dobson was careful in his remarks about referee Ben Whitehouse, avoiding direct criticism. However, his dissatisfaction with some of the decisions made during the game was evident. The Stormers conceded 15 penalties, and although their scrum appeared dominant, they were penalised repeatedly as the game progressed.
‘There are a few penalties we’ll need to review and try to understand,’ Dobson said. ‘We made too many errors, but we weren’t the only ones out there making mistakes. I haven’t seen the final penalty count yet, but I’m certain it’s a record for us.’
Despite trailing 14-0 within the first 22 minutes, the Stormers managed to claw their way back, closing the gap to 14-7 by halftime. At that point, Dobson felt the team was gaining control and believed they were on track to overturn the deficit.
‘We were confident going into halftime, and I thought we deserved a try at one point,’ Dobson explained. ‘I just couldn’t understand why we weren’t getting the scrum calls in our favour. I have more to say on that, but I’ll keep it within the team.’
Things unravelled after Edinburgh extended their lead to 21-7. Dobson admitted that the team struggled in their attempts to chase the game, which led to further mistakes and frustration.
‘Once we were down 21-7, we lost our way,’ Dobson said. ‘We started to force things, made bad decisions, and got frustrated. A 38-7 loss leaves no room for excuses — we need to take ownership of the result. That said, some damage was done early in the match, and that made it tough for us.’
The Stormers now sit at the bottom of the standings with just one win from their first three games. Up next, they face two crucial home fixtures against Munster and Glasgow, the defending champions from the last two United Rugby Championship (URC) seasons.
‘There were a lot of things beyond our control tonight, and that added to our frustration. When we had Edinburgh under pressure, we let them off the hook,’ Dobson admitted. ‘But if we can rediscover our spark at home, we’ll be in a much better place.’
Reflecting on the challenges ahead, Dobson emphasised the importance of the upcoming matches. ‘We’ll take some time to process what happened tonight, but those two home games are critical. If we get them right, we’ll be back in the fight. There’s a bit of pressure on us now, but that’s the reality.’
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