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Loslappies: Dobson wants his players to tighten up against smarting log-leading Leinster

Dudley Carstens|Published

Take it up the middle: Stormers stalwart Scarra Ntubeni, right, drives. Picture: Reinhardt Hamman/BackpagePix

The Stormers played like a bunch of loslappies and ran themselves into trouble in their 27-21 defeat to Ospreys at the weekend.

So when former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and his table-topping Leinster come to the Mother City in the United Rugby Championship this weekend, their hosts would want to tighten things up a bit.

Speaking of their performance against Wales’ Ospreys, Stormers director of rugby John Dobson says: “We have this thing about being the Stormers and who we are [and how we want to play], but this was taking it to the extreme.

Critical: Coach John Dobson. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

“Before the game and half-time we spoke about this. We had two tight forwards passing the ball to each other on the tryline in the first half. We were as loose as could be.

“It is a concern and frustration. We coughed up 16 balls, I think.”

Dobson says that is not the message that went out from the technical team. He explains: “The key thing is that we have to get the go-forward ball down the middle of the field and that is where we went wrong. Our message was clear, dent them first, run hard lines and it will open up the sides.

“We are proud of who we are, but that was too loose.”

The defeat left the Stormers in sixth place on the log and still in with a shout of making the top-eight playoffs with four rounds left.

However, they are still pushing for a home quarterfinal spot - with fourth place currently belonging to the Bulls who have a six-point buffer on them.

Leinster, meanwhile, come of a shocking 44-12 defeat to the Lions at Ellis Park.

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leinster rugbycape townjohn dobsonunited rugby championship