John Dobson says the DHL Stormers want two wins in their remaining matches on tour against Zebre and Edinburgh to avoid a repeat of their poor start to last season. dylan jack report.
Following their season-opening defeat to the Ospreys in Bridgend, the DHL Stormers will be eager to bounce back when they face Italian side Zebre in Parma on Saturday.
Last season the Stormers were under pressure from the start as they went back to their four-week tour without a win and lost several bonus points.
Dobson said on Friday he wanted to avoid the same experience as the Stormers set themselves a target of an eight-point return on tour this season.
“We said from the beginning that we wanted to get two wins on tour. We are in prison. We’ve already played that card,” Dobson said.
“I saw a lot of good courses last week. Against Griquas, our lineup was 8-9 and went up to 100% last week. The way the forwards performed and some of the signals on offense were really, really good.
“Our exit revealed some shortcomings. Our competitive games haven’t been very good over the years. It was something we were proud of. To win overseas you have to win competitive games, be able to get dismissals and win lineouts.
“Our goal is to get the right exit, play a good competitive game and be a bit more of a force in our mall if we want to get two wins.
“We are planning to attend both games. If you don’t get 8 or 9 points, you’ll be a little disappointed. In some ways we are under pressure.
“We don’t want to go down the path of last year’s tour where we spent the rest of the season sticking a knife to our throats and trying to make up points. It puts you in your shell and we’re trying to develop the offense a little bit. When you start feeling that pressure, you start to become more conservative.
“The goal is two wins.”
But that doesn’t mean the Stormers will take Zebre lightly. Especially after the home side stunned 2023 champions Munster last week.
“The Zebre team is very different now,” Dobson said. “They are all Italian, they are very young under a new coach and they are playing almost Irish style rugby with the ball in their hands. There is no baggage from the past. They are fearless.
“It was an outstanding performance against Munster. It hasn’t helped our state in any way. We go from dealing with the disappointment of Bridgend to realizing the pressure of this game.
“They are traditionally one of the weaker teams, but that won’t be the case this year. They have a good team. It doesn’t appear in that category at all. URC is becoming more competitive every year.”
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
