IT’S TOUGH: Dobbo says his Stormers are battered and bruised after ‘brutal’ Toulon defeat
It’s tough being Stormers coach John Dobson at the moment.
Not only is his team sukkeling to win matches, but he had two players in hospital on Saturday night after going down 24-14 to Toulon in their Champions Cup opener at the Nelson Mandela Stadium innie Baai.
Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok was one of those players after he suffered a gevaarlike concussion against the Frenchmen, while loosefoward Keke Morabe joined him in the emergency ward with a serious leg injury.
After getting his third pak in as many matches, Dobson told reporters after the match: “It’s a sore changing room, two guys in hospital. It was a brutal game…
“Keke has fractured his leg again... Manie is very bad. He’s gone to hospital, normal concussion you don’t go straight to hospital...
“If you look at the nature of the injuries… we’re not doing soft tissue injuries, it’s trauma injuries.
“It’s a bit like frogs in the pot – when you look up and it’s suddenly boiling you realise all those guys are out, and it’s tough.”
Toulon came out firing on Saturday and scored the first try of the match through wing Gabin Villiere in the fourth minute, before making it 10-0 with a Baptiste Serin penalty conversion.
As if suddenly woken up, the Stormers scored a geharde try through Warrick Gelant in the corner after some good interplay by the backs to make it 10-7.
They then got their noses in front on the stroke of half-time, when hooker Joseph Dweba scored off the back of a rolling maul (14-10).
But that was the end of their punte, as Toulon scored via Facundo Isa and Serin in the second half.
The Stormers next face Harlequins away this week.
Warrick Gelant is a master at producing magic 😏⭐
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) December 7, 2024
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