The Stormers got their URC campaign off to the perfect start with a full house of points against Connacht in Galway on Friday night.
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson was very happy with his sides impressive win over Connacht in Galway to get them off to the perfect start. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
They were made to fight tooth and nail for the result, but the Stormers eventually earned an impressive 29-15 win over Connacht in their United Rugby Championship (URC) season opener at the Sportsground in Galway on Friday night.
The Stormers were clearly the better team throughout, but after dominating the first half, a lax finish to the opening 40 minutes saw the hosts score two tries in the final few minutes to sneak a 12-10 lead at the break.
It was then an even better second half effort from the Stormers, but looked as if it could be more of the same as they went into the final five minutes of the encounter with a slender 17-15 lead.
It was then their turn to produce a stunning finish, as late scores to replacements Vernon Paulo and Ezekiel Ngobeni allowed them to pull away for what looked to be a comfortable win, but had been anything but after the visitors squandered numerous chances throughout the match.
Deserved to win
“I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I thought we deserved to win. Credit to Connacht for those two tries before halftime. But I thought territorially we were spot on,” said Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson after the match.
“I also think with all the disruptions, we ended up (playing) with a hooker on the flank (at the end of the match), we have 10 loose forwards out (injured). So to come to a place like this without our (Springbok) internationals, I know they were in the same position (without their internationals).
“To win in a place like this is really special for us. We have a lot of respect for this club and this venue is a tough place to win isn’t it, so we are very happy.”
Dobson explained that they didn’t panic at the break after their poor finish to the half, and that the team talk had remained the same, with the coaching group largely happy with what they had seen up to that point.
“After 37 minutes I thought this is magic. We were (in their 22m) and about to score and go up 15-0. I didn’t expect Connacht to be that dangerous in how they capitalised on our mistakes (to take a halftime lead),” admitted Dobson.
“But I thought at halftime, ‘listen guys we’ve been great’. We’re at the races even though we’re down, and to use a horrible cliché, you just trust the process. We got held up immediately after halftime, but our plan paid off in the end as we dominated at the back end.”
Proud captain
A beaming Stormers captain Ruhan Nel was thrilled with his team’s effort and hailed a big result against a tough team, while backing up his Director of Rugby in how they stuck to the plan after trailing at halftime.
“I said it earlier in the week and before we left Cape Town that Connacht can tip a lot of teams on this field. They are a really tough team, a very physical team and to get that start to the season is brilliant. Any win away from home is great,” said Nel.
“I’ve hardly seen a game when you have got the momentum for the whole 80 minutes. You go through ups and downs in a game and that was their up and our down (at the end of the first half). It is just important to stay calm in those moments.
“We had done all the playing, had gotten into the right areas, and then soft moments let them into our 22m. Credit to them, they actually capitalised on that. In the second half once again we didn’t finish off one or two opportunities, but towards the end it came through nicely.”
