Stormers coach (right) John Dobson speaks to his scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies FILE. Stormers coach John Dobson battled to explain some of the officiating and the margin of his side’s loss in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final against hosts Glasgow Warriors. Picture: Phando Jikelo/Independent Media
Following his side’s 27-10 defeat to Glasgow Warriors in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday, Stormers coach John Dobson battled to explain some of the officiating and the margin of his side’s loss.
A close contest caught fire in the second half when the two sides traded three tries in just seven minutes, with Warriors also benefiting from some poor kicking from Stormers and Springboks flyhalf Manie Libbok who missed all four of his efforts from the tee.
One call in particular though, left Dobson trying to figure what had just befallen his charges.
Glasgow’s Kyle Steyn and Stormers’ Warrick Gelant were both trying to win the ball in the air in an incident in the first half. Steyn struck Gelant in the head with his arm, but referee Chris Busby did not penalise the hosts.
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“We were absolutely perplexed by that,” Dobson said after the match.
Salmaan Moerat was sin-binned in the second half for a head-on-head collision, but Dobson had no problem with the yellow card on that occasion.
“We are having some discussions out here with Tappe Henning [URC’s Head of Match Officials].
“It was disappointing. I think Salmaan was a justified yellow, but it probably didn’t cost us the game.”
“I’m disappointed, but I am proud of the effort, especially in the first half,” said Dobson.
More than the officiating, the Stormers had themselves to blame hinted Dobson.
“I’m’ disappointed because I thought with the wind in our favour at 13-10, we had enough in us to close it out and it was just a staggering scrum that I didn’t understand and they got on top of us.
“They were more effective into the wind than we were.”