“We Won 12 And Lost 11”: Dobson Fumes Over Lineout Disaster

Stormers director of rugby John Dobson admitted his side’s struggles at the lineout proved costly as they suffered a frustrating 17-13 defeat to Edinburgh in difficult conditions at Hive Stadium on Friday night.

The Stormers lost 11 of their 23 lineouts, with Dobson identifying the set-piece as the defining factor in a game his side felt they could have won.

“We don’t have to look too much beyond our performance in the lineout. We lost 11 and won 12,” Dobson said.

“We can’t win a game in those conditions if your plan is based around the maul and we just kept giving up possession, which is devastating with the wind and into the wind.”

The Stormers had prepared for a game in which their maul and set-piece were expected to play a significant role, but the conditions at kick-off presented a greater challenge than anticipated.

“The conditions took us by surprise because the weather has been so good, and although it stopped raining, there was a very strong wind,” Dobson explained.

Despite their lineout woes, the Stormers were only 3-0 down at half-time and subsequently took the lead. However, discipline at the breakdown and their inability to secure possession ultimately proved costly.

“There were one or two poor moments with discipline at the breakdown, and they converted every opportunity they got,” Dobson said.

The loss of Andre-Hugo Venter in the first half after a failed HIA further complicated matters, with Dobson highlighting his importance to both the lineout and the Stormers’ overall performance.

Venter was replaced by Vernon Paulo, who endured a difficult time with his throwing at the lineout.

“The loss of Vennas was a big one. Not just for the lineout, but he is one of our best players,” he said.

“It’s frustrating that he wasn’t allowed to return to the field, but that’s the protocol, and we have to respect that.”

Despite the defeat, Dobson was encouraged by his team’s defensive effort and confirmed there were no further injury concerns coming out of the match.

“We defended well. We don’t have any other injury concerns. It’s just a game that we could’ve won, so it’s frustrating, but we’ve taken six points from the tour,” he said.

Attention now turns to a highly anticipated South African derby against the Sharks next week, with Dobson expecting a much-changed Stormers side and an improved performance.

“This is a game we should’ve won, but we’re super excited for next week,” he enthused.

“Our squad will look different. It’ll be a big occasion, and we’ll be much better than we were tonight, and we’ll definitely fix the lineouts.”