Dan du Plessis of Stormers scores a try during the Heineken Champions Cup 2022/23 game between Stormers and Clermont at Cape Town Stadium on 21 January 2023 Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
Stormers coach credits substitutes with securing home playoff
John Dobson said that his second half replacements changed the game against Clermont in Cape Town on Saturday.
Dan du Plessis of Stormers scores a try during the Heineken Champions Cup 2022/23 game between Stormers and Clermont at Cape Town Stadium on 21 January 2023 Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
John Dobson said that his second half replacements changed the game against Clermont in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Stormers needed a second half rally to get the bonus point win over the French side.
Super Subs save Stormers
Dobson conceded that his side were flat on attack in the first period.
“We were so flat and disjointed in the first half, and where we must give credit to Clermont,” Dobson said after the match in Cape Town.
“I didn’t realise it at the time because as a coach, you always look at your own team. But the way that Clermont defended – making 112 tackles in the first and only missing three – we were faced with a brick wall the whole time.”
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Stopping the spiral
Dobson felt that the substitutes were necessary to stop a downward spiral within the team.
“The subs made a difference. It was a team spiralling in the first half,” Dobson said.
“Captain Steven Kitshoff could see it, we could see it ourselves – you could see guys looking at each other, ‘Why didn’t you do this?’, and that sort of spiral.
“In the second half, we reset at halftime, Kitshoff spoke to them well and we just became more direct.
“When you’ve got Jean-Luc – he’s a Du Plessis, he added some spark to the game and with Herschel we just needed more speed.
“We would’ve probably brought in the subs before halftime – but that’s inhumane.”
Stormers skipper Steven Kitshoff felt half time conversations helped the men from the Cape refocused.
“At halftime break, it was about reinforcing the team by saying once again that our plan is working. We are playing rugby in the right areas, and it’s all about just finishing those moments,” Kitshoff said.
“After halftime, that spark came out and things just started to stick.
” I also think making 112 tackles in a half of rugby does take a lot out of the legs. You see it often: a team that defend most of the game tend to tire the most. We just kept bashing and kept the pressure on, and the things started to stick.”
