John Dobson hails Stormers’ Champions Cup fight as stars set to return for Sharks test

The Stormers are set to receive a timely boost ahead of their United Rugby Championship (URC) coastal derby against the Sharks on Saturday in Cape Town, with a host of senior players returning to the matchday mix.

Damian Willemse, Warrick Gelant, captain Salmaan Moerat and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach all missed this past weekend’s Champions Cup bonus-point victory of 39–26 over Leicester Tigers due to injury and personal time off.

The experienced Springbok quartet will now return alongside Ruhan Nel, Adré Smith, Sazi Sandi and Jurie Matthee, significantly bolstering the Stormers’ depth for the first derby showdown of the season against their Durban rivals.

The Stormers initially struggled to find their rhythm without several of their senior leaders against the Tigers, only sealing the contest at the death after mounting a dramatic late fightback. That resilience ultimately secured their place in the Champions Cup Round of 16, but the returning players will be welcomed back with open arms as the focus shifts to domestic matters.

Director of rugby John Dobson was pleased with the response from his team following a difficult period that included a heavy defeat to Harlequins a fortnight ago — a loss that brought their overall unbeaten record to an end. The gritty performance against Leicester, in contrast, showcased the Stormers’ mental toughness under pressure.

Captain Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was sent to the sin bin during Saturday’s clash after being penalised for dangerously leading with a forearm while carrying the ball into contact. Despite being reduced to 14 men at a crucial stage, the Stormers rallied impressively to snatch victory in the closing moments.

“It was a tough game, a very stressful one, but a great match all around,” Dobson said of the battle against a determined Leicester outfit.

“They were organised, although they left a lot of guys at home. That is the narrative across this tournament sometimes. However, it was still a really good Leicester team. We were a little bit flat in the second 20 minutes of the first half and we weren’t putting pressure on them anywhere. Not at set-piece, on their or our lineout. That was a bit tricky for us.

“We showed some fight and then you lose your skipper while you are one point ahead. That was a tricky yellow in Sacha’s defence. Imagine you have two guys coming at you and you are trying to get through it. Your arm goes up (to fend or brace) and you get a yellow card.

“Going down to 14 men and we score a try to clinch the game. That is the narrative of this team; the fight and tactically we closed things down well.”

Despite receiving the yellow card, Feinberg-Mngomezulu remained the driving force behind the Stormers’ performance. He was placed under immense pressure by Leicester’s aggressive defence but still delivered a strong overall showing. While there were a few errors — particularly with his kicking from hand — he also repeatedly pushed the visitors back with clever tactical kicks and sharp sniping runs.

Although the captaincy will revert to Moerat for this weekend’s derby, Feinberg-Mngomezulu relished the responsibility and sees the experience as an important step in his development as a leader. With more opportunities likely to come, the young flyhalf is eager to continue growing in that role.

“It was an interesting but tough game,” the Stormers captain said.

“There were times in that game where I had to rub off other leaders, and I was lucky to have good guys around me. They helped us get through some rough patches in the clash. I’ve learned a few things, and I would think they did as well.”