Dobbo: We want to be competitive in Europe

by | Dec 5, 2025 | African Golf News

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Stormers coach John Dobson says it’s time for SA teams to stand up and be counted in the Investec Champions Cup.

No South African side reached the round-of-16 playoffs last season, while the furthest they have progressed since joining the competition in 2022-23 is the quarter-finals. That season, both the Stormers and Sharks reached the last eight, and the Bulls reached the quarter-finals in 2023-24.

“We want to be competitive in Europe,” said Dobson ahead of their Champions Cup opener in Bayonne on Friday night. “We love being part of it, and we don’t want people thinking South Africans don’t add value.”

The Stormers have won their opening six Vodacom URC matches to top the log and hope to carry that form into Europe’s top-tier club competition.

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Dobson was emphatic that the Stormers’ long-term project is paying off, saying ‘We’ve made more progress than we expected.”

He added that selecting full-strength squads for both Munster last week and Bayonne this weekend signals a clear shift in approach.

“If you get an away win in the Champions Cup, you’re really in the mix with two home games to come, so we’re absolutely giving this competition a real go.”

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Captain Salmaan Moerat credited a major mental shift for the Stormers’ improved form on the road.

“In the past we didn’t tour well. That was a big talking point this season,” he said. “The mindset from coaches, players and staff is completely different now and it’s working for us.”

Moerat also believes the team’s chemistry – and the lack of big egos – has strengthened the group.

“Sometimes it’s easier when you have fewer stars to manage. The guys really buy into the plan, and everyone pulls in the same direction.”

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Dobson agreed, pointing to the success of players who were once considered fringe options.

“If you looked at a team sheet six weeks ago with guys like Dylan Maart, Clinton Swart, Imad Khan or Connor Evans, you wouldn’t say that’s a top Stormers outfit. Yet I sit here with full confidence they can win. It shows how well the project is growing.”

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Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images

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