Dobbo: Victory at the death would have been an ‘escape’ for Stormers

Toulon were always one step ahead of the Stormers, who let themselves down in several departments, said director of rugby John Dobson. Picture: Clement Mahoudeau / AFP Stormers boss John Dobson conceded that while the manner of their defeat to Toulon was “very frustrating”, with several tough refereeing decisions going against them, a final score at the death would have been more than the Cape side deserved. The Stormers lost their Champions Cup last-16 match28-27at Stade Mayol on Saturday.

The South Africans stayed in touch of the French side throughout the game, even leading twice despite having far less possession and territory. They gained momentum in the final 10 minutes when Toulon went down to 14 and 13 men, but that was whenhard 50/50 callsall went Toulon’s way. Prop Ntuthuko Mchunu appeared to score from a drive, but referee Christophe Ridley referred it to the TMO, who ruled a knock-on.

Later, a Stormers maul was cynically collapsed near the Toulon line, but Ridley awarded only a penalty and yellow card to Matthias Halagahu, rather than a penalty try. In the final minute, after regaining possession following a Toulon yellow card for head contact, several Stormers drives resulted in lock Adré Smith crashing over. Ridley referred the incident to the TMO, with an initial view that the ball had been held up.

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The TMO could neither confirm that it was held up nor that it was grounded, resulting in a no-try decision. The Stormers also complained thatToulonloose forward Charles Ollivon was offside in the build-up, but the referee ruled he was behind the try line at the point of the pick-up. “We have to adapt to some of the EPCR interpretations,” Dobson said.

“In the URC, which is our day job, if you run into the line like that and the maul gets pulled down it is clearly a penalty try. But not in the EPCR. “We’re obviously a bit frustrated at the end there.” Still, he said if the TMO could not confirm a grounding and the on-field decision “was for some reason no try, then it’s entirely logical and fair”.

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