Rock-solid defence laid a concrete platform for the high-flying Stormers when they snatched a late 13-8 win over the Bulls in a tense United Rugby Championship clash on Saturday, coach John Dobson said.
A near-capacity crowd of 53,682 fans at the Cape Town Stadium were kept on the edge of their seats until a 79th-minute try from replacement prop Ntuthuko Mchunu sealed the deal for the rampant Cape side.
Mchunu’s try enabled the Stormers to extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches in the United Rugby Championship and the Investec Champions Cup.
Dobson said even when the teams were locked at 8-8 with time running out, he never had any doubts his team would find a way to get over the line.
“It’s going to sound a bit full of hubris, but I never was never worried in that game,” he said.
“It sounds curious, and I really don’t mean that with any kind of arrogance, but the way we defended even in the first half, it just didn’t feel like we were under any sort of defensive pressure.
“Our defence was very, very good and I didn’t feel like they were going to open us up.
“At one stage I thought we were facing a draw.
“The Bulls played well and scored points when they got close to us and they did not waste opportunities.
“I do not think that in the second half we were massively under the pump.
“It was a tough SA derby, and I would have liked desperately, when we got going in the second half a little, that we could have scored a couple of tries
“We wanted some excitement for the 53,000 fans so it was frustrating that the game did not have a bit more flow and rhythm to it.
“What was amazing was that there were contests everywhere from lineout to maul.
“These massive contests in the game are good for SA rugby, but I would have liked a bit more flow.
“There were a lot of errors — and we made too many — and I thought the Bulls’ defence was good and we must give them credit for that
“We could not break it down and Jeandre Rudolph was incredible at the breakdown. He is an unsung player.”
Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat said his team displayed admirable self-belief against a quality Bulls outfit.
“I do think it (winning) becomes a habit,” he said.
“We don’t want to sound arrogant at all, but we’ve been in deeper holes before.
“If you look back at that Munster game in Limerick, I don’t think many people gave us a chance.
“In that first half we were down to 13 men for 20 minutes away from home, and we managed to win that game.
“That does give you belief that there’s something in the tank and that the boys will pull it through.”
Next up for the Stormers is a tough Champions Cup clash in London against Harlequins on Sunday, before a home match Leicester Tigers.
“I think South African teams need to try and make a statement to host playoffs in Europe, and we’re in a position after that Bayonne win where we can have a go at it,” Dobson said.
“But to win in London will be really tough.”
Scorers:
Stormers 13: Tries: Evan Roos and Ntuthuko Mchunu. Penalty: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Bulls 8: Try: Handre Pollard. Penalty: Pollard.
In another United Rugby Championship clash in Durban, the Lions edged the Sharks 23-22 at Kings Park on Saturday.
Scorers:
Sharks 22: Tries: Emmanuel Tshituka, Siya Kolisi, Jason Jenkins, Edwill van der Merwe. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse.
Lions 23: Tries: Etienne Oosthuizen, Francke Horn, Haashim Pead. Conversion: Chris Smith. Penalties: Smith (2).
The Herald
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