Stormers system collapse ‘inexplicable’, admits Dobson

The Stormers’ first-ever defeat to the Sharks at DHL Stadium has left coach John Dobson searching for answers after what he described as a complete breakdown of systems his side is usually best at.

Speaking after the loss at DHL Stadium, Dobson said the diagnosis of what went wrong was straightforward, but understanding why it happened was far more difficult.

“It’s diabolical. We lost the game doing the things we’re normally brilliant at,” he said.

‘We broke our system’

Dobson pointed to uncharacteristic failures in the line-out, maul defence and discipline — areas where the Stormers have been among the best teams in the URC this season.

“After 10 rounds, we had the best line-out, the best maul defence, the best penalty differential. Then we concede three maul tries in our own stadium in front of 52,000 people.”

One moment in particular summed up the night for him, a defensive line-out where the usual lifting support wasn’t there.

“There was a complete disconnect. That’s what I can’t explain. Why did we break our system in such an important game?”

Confidence, not arrogance

Dobson rejected suggestions that the Stormers were arrogant or overconfident heading into the clash with the Sharks.

“They’re definitely not arrogant. If you’d been in that changing room, you’d know how devastated they were.”

Instead, he conceded that doubt may have crept in and acknowledged a coaching error in how the match was framed mentally for the players.

“I probably got that wrong. Maybe we didn’t talk enough about the need to fight and be confident.”

Fixable, but the ‘why’ remains

While Dobson believes the technical issues can be addressed quickly, the underlying mental lapse continues to trouble him.

“We can fix the technical stuff, no half-jumps, better maul defence, discipline. But I still can’t tell you why it happened.”

With a high-stakes return fixture in Durban looming before a four-week break, the Stormers are shifting focus to control and discipline rather than flair.

“It’s not our job to entertain. It’s just to win. We can’t afford back-to-back losses to the same opposition.”

For Dobson, the priority is simple: restore composure, trust the system, and make sure this kind of collapse doesn’t happen again.

For more detail, listen to Dobson using the audio player below: