The Stormers secured a vital 33-14 win over Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship (URC) on Saturday, with three tries after the hour mark at the DHL Stadium.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson admitted his nerves were on edge as his side trailed 14-12, but they eventually pulled clear thanks to converted tries by prop Ntuthuko Mchunu, Evan Roos, and Deon Fourie.
Turning Point
The match was a scrappy affair, with the Stormers conspiring against themselves for large periods, failing to take the opportunities they created to put Edinburgh away. However, Dobson was pleased to come away with five points, which maintains their second place on the URC log.
According to the United Rugby Championship rules, a team must win by a certain margin to secure a full house of five points. The Stormers achieved this, but not without some frustrating moments, including an interception that allowed Edinburgh to almost run the length of the field to score and draw level at 7-all.
Key Takeaways
The key takeaways from the match include:
- Poor execution and discipline cost the Stormers in the first half.
- The yellow card to Mchunu was unnecessary and affected the team’s strategy.
- The Stormers’ conversion rate needs improvement, with Dobson highlighting this as an area for concern.
Captain Nel also expressed frustration with the team’s tactics, saying they did all the hard work to get into good positions on the field, only for someone to take an unnecessary option that was not on. He acknowledged that the team needs to manage the time better when a player is sin-binned.
The Stormers will now shift their focus to the European Champions Cup, where they will face Toulon in France on Saturday. Dobson said they do not necessarily want to be known as a box-kicking team, but it was a case of horses for courses against Edinburgh.
