Latest news with #JohnDobson
an hour ago
- Business
Springboks (Signings & Exits): SEVEN player movements
A total of seven Springboks are linked with big moves both IN and OUT of South Africa. Being a Springboks rugby player certainly has it's perks. Following back-to-back Rugby World Cup victories, Bok stars are now even more sought-after than ever before. So, Let's take a look at the capped Springboks linked with big moves to new clubs both in and out of SA. Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach and Marvin Orie are all set to return home. Back to South Africa. The Rugby World Cup winning Springboks trio are all involved with massive deals with local United Rugby Championship outfits. Namely, the Bulls and Stormers. Pollard has signed a huge deal that will see him return to the Bulls next season. Meanwhile, Reinach has signed a deal with John Dobson's Stormers. He will start playing for the Cape-based side at the start of the 2025/26 season. Finally, Orie is set to join the Bulls next season. Meanwhile, Edwill Van Der Merwe has signed for the Sharks ahead of next season. Manie Libbok, Joseph Dweba and Herschel Jantjies are all set to leave the Stormers and SA at the end of the season. 'Scrumhalves Herschel Jantjies and Paul de Wet are heading to Bayonne in France and the Bulls respectively, while hooker Joseph Dweba departs for English Premiership side Exeter Chiefs, ' the insider stated on The Citizen. Meaning, three capped Boks are set to start new ventures abroad. Libbok has been linked with a sabbatical and a potential loan move to Japan. Meanwhile, both Dweba and Jantjies are going to ply their trade abroad next season. 'Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok, with Director of Rugby John Dobson confirming after the Glasgow loss that he was on his way out with the others, but with no confirmation on what sort of deal,' he added. However, Libbok will likely be loaned out and come back to the Stormers. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Stormers bullied by physical Glasgow, says Dobson
The Stormers were bullied when they crashed to a heavy 36-18 defeat against Glasgow Warriors in a United Rugby Championship (URC) quarterfinal clash, coach John Dobson said. In the aftermath of a devastating loss at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday, a perplexed Dobson said he did not know how his team would be able to fix their inability to dominate the gain line. The victory kept Glasgow's hopes of lifting back-to-back URC titles alive after they beat the Bulls 21-16 in the 2024 final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. 'We were bullied physically, everything went wrong, and they put us under pressure,' Dobson said. 'To get so well beaten is disappointing and it was probably our worst game of the season. Things such as the line-outs and technical stuff we can fix and we also lost the technical battle and we can work on that.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Dobson finds silver linings in disappointing end to Stormers' season
John Dobson was left hunting for the positives after the Stormers were dumped out of the URC knockouts by Glasgow Warriors. Stormers coach John Dobson was left hunting for silver linings after their heavy URC quarterfinal defeat to Glasgow Warriors over the past weekend. Picture: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson was left hunting for silver linings after a dreadful end to their United Rugby Championship (URC) season, with a heavy quarterfinal defeat to defending champions, Glasgow Warriors. Heading into the match the Stormers were on a terrific run of form, having won six of their last seven pool matches, including a four game winning streak, while Glasgow were in poor form, having lost three straight games. In the pre-match presser Dobson touted the feel-good feeling in the squad, and said that they were extremely confident, admitting that they would be disappointed to not get over the line. In the end it wasn't even close, as Glasgow hit the front in the ninth minute and never looked back, as they cruised to a comfortable 36-18 win in the end, setting themselves up with a massive semi against Leinster, who were made to work in their 33-21 quarterfinal win over Scarlets. Reflecting on the match Dobson said that Seabelo Senatla, who scored the team's only two tries, and their impressive scrum performance were the only real positives they could take from the game. Silver linings 'Our scrum and Seabelo were the two silver linings to a very dark cloud, and some of the youngsters coming through. Youngster like Paul (de Villiers) will be better for the experience. In terms of broadening our depth, we've had a good season,' said Dobson. 'What worried me (in the match), I felt like we didn't win the gainline. We can fix the lineout or the kicking plan, it just worried me a little bit that we didn't dominate the collisions as much as I'd like to have. But to fade off like we did tonight (Friday) is disappointing. 'I think we weren't far off getting ourselves into fourth (on the log), despite everything that happened over the season. The growth in terms of the squad, and our scrum culture is superb. That gives me a lot of reason for optimism.' Dobson highlighted their misfiring lineout and poor defensive showing as major reasons for their heavy defeat, and lamented the fact that they saved one of their most dreadful performances in recent times for their knockout. 'We'd been going 90% lineouts for the last four games, then suddenly dropped in the 70s. We dropped down to giving away 17 line breaks, dropped down to 65% tackle completion, which is a credit to Glasgow (in terms of) how they attacked,' explained Dobson. 'But we kept our worst performance probably in a couple of years for a knockout game, which is really disappointing.' The Stormers now take a break before some of the players get back together for the Currie Cup kicking off in late July.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Seabelo Senatla shines despite Stormers' defeat to Glasgow Warriors
Winger Seabelo Senatla's remarkable resilience was once again on display for the Stormers against Glasgow Warriors. The Stormers may have struggled for positives after their 36-18 humbling against the Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship quarter-final on Friday, but winger Seabelo Senatla's performance was one of the silver linings to a dark cloud for head coach John Dobson. Senatla's early yellow card at the Scotstoun Stadium in Scotland proved costly for the visitors from the Cape. In the time he was off the field, Glasgow scored two tries. The former Springbok Sevens star seemed determined to make amends on his return from the bin, scoring two tries that brought his team right back into the match as he energised the Stormers attack. He showed the kind of indomitable spirit that has seen him overcome personal tragedy. A horiffic car crash in 2023 sidelined him from the game for more than a year, threatening to end his career. "Sabelo was magic. He was very obviously our best player," head coach Dobson said in the aftermath of the disappointing defeat. "I'm very chuffed for him, given what he's been through. That was brilliant. "I don't think we rolled over, we just made so many mistakes; Sasha running with ball and it just pops out of his hand. That was our evening."
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Plethora of mistakes, Glasgow defence led to Stormers defeat
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson rued a very poor performance from his charges that led to them losing their URC quarterfinal against Glasgow Warriors. Stormers wing Seabelo Senatla scored twice, but it wasn't enough as they fell to defeat in their URC quarterfinal against Glasgow Warriors. Picture: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said the effort was there, but a plethora of mistakes and ferocious defence from the Glasgow Warriors contributed to a poor performance his side, as they were dumped out of the United Rugby Championship (URC) knockouts on Friday night. The Stormers were outplayed 36-18, despite enjoying just as many opportunities as the hosts, but an inability to finish, coupled with a poor defensive performance, meant that Glasgow put away their chances, while the visitors were left to rue what could have been. After the match Dobson admitted that it was a tough one to take, as they had gone into the game fully believing that they could walk away with a win. 'It's sitting pretty tough in the throat, emotionally. I couldn't sit in the changeroom and complain about the efforts, though. After their last try, we were all over their 22m area but we just played very poorly,' said Dobson. 'They put us under a lot of pressure, physically they defended really well. We didn't get any yardage in our carries. I don't think effort or fight was absent, but a plethora of mistakes (from us), and massive credit to Glasgow for their defence, it was excellent. 'They are also really good with the ball in hand, as we know, and if we were going to kick as inaccurately as we did, they were going to punish us.' Chasing game The Stormers will also be kicking themselves for allowing Glasgow to pull away, every time they got themselves back into the game, handing back the initiative which led to them chasing the match throughout. It was after tries to Seabelo Senatla in the middle of the first half and start of the second, with the Stormers trailing 14-6 and 19-13 on those occasions. The wings first try brought the score back to 14-13, but straight from the kick-off a penalty went against them, Glasgow kicked to the corner and Henco Venter went over, to give the hosts a 19-13 lead at halftime. The second straight after halftime made it a one-point game again, at 19-18, but from the kick-off Glasgow reclaimed the ball, went through the phases and Kyle Rowe finished things off, to push them ahead 26-18, and the hosts never looked back as they went on to comfortably win. 'We thought they would try and get around us, so we wanted to go up and out, but I think the way they played those short inside balls was very clever, and we were found wanting,' explained Dobson. 'Also, it doesn't help if you kick like we kicked, long, distant contestables that are going towards the midfield side of their 15m. Against their backs, it's very hard to defend. 'So it was poor, and we conceded a try just after we scored, the holding penalty on Suleiman and they scored from that with a maul, and then we went with an open-side contestable, which wasn't the plan, after Seabelo's try and they scored under the poles.'
