Head coach John Dobson’s contract extension at the DHL Stormers is a blessing for everyone involved with the sport in the Republic, according to MARK KEOHANE.
Dobson, who orchestrated the Stormers’ triumph against the Vodacom Bulls in the inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship final in 2022, has penned a new four-year deal with the Cape outfit which will keep him at the helm until at least 2027.
With a sprinkling of Springboks but relying heavily on seasoned campaigners and Western Province’s youth systems, he has produced a Stormers side that qualified for the last 16 of the Champions Cup on debut and which leads the SA Shield from second place on the URC standings after 14 rounds of the 2022-23 campaign.
In his TimesLIVE column, Keohane argues that Dobson’s – or ‘Dobbo’ as he is widely known – greatest attribute is that he best understands the rugby landscape in his hometown, and how to nurture talent from schools level through to the pro ranks.
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Keohane also suggests that were it not for Dobbo’s influence, playmaker Damian Willemse might not have committed to another five years with the Stormers, while star flyhalf Manie Libbok would still be struggling for game time at a rival SA team.
“Dobson’s biggest strength is he knows the style of rugby he believes speaks most naturally to the schoolboy talent in Western Province and to the multicultural make-up of the rugby-playing base in the province,” he writes.
“He has been a pioneer to change since his appointment as the Stormers coach [and his] Stormers are the most transformed team in the franchise’s history.
“His presence is the reason so few of his players want to go elsewhere, so many want to be in Cape Town and the core of WP’s very best schools’ players, club players and those in post-school tertiary institutions believe in WP Rugby and by extension the Stormers.
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“Dobson in 2022 built a squad from established loyal veterans, exciting local talent and he also identified and invested in players other franchises didn’t believe were worth a salary.
“His desire to create playing opportunities has delivered squad depth unrivalled in South Africa, and the most revealing statistic is that he had masterminded five successive wins against Jake White’s imposing Bulls, three in Cape Town and two at Loftus, and he has never been able to select the same match 23 or starting XV in any of those five matches.
“He has entrusted several Under-21 players in these matches and some who could still be playing U19 rugby. He has trusted the experience of 38- and 36-year-old veterans like Brok Harris and Deon Fourie.
“Dobson’s signature to stay at the Stormers, despite several overseas offers, is a gift to WP Rugby and, by extension, to South African rugby.”
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