DHL Stormers coach John Dobson says his team will have to dig deep against the Emirates Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday after a difficult week.
The Stormers were unable to travel back to Cape Town from Cardiff on the same flight, which severely disrupted their preparations this week.
“I don’t want to say too much about it because it will sound like we’re making excuses, but it has been a tough week,” said Dobson after making eight changes to his starting XV.
“Clayton Blommetjies had to spend the night sleeping at Frankfurt Airport, we got back to Cape Town at different times and we haven’t been able to do a lot of prep as we’d do in a normal week.
“We’ve also had the international stuff [players being selected for Springbok and SA A squads] to deal with.
“So, it’s time for us to show some character. It’s been a tough week but we will fight.”
Dobson expects a big challenge from a rejuvenated Lions team that won all three of their tour matches.
“They beat the Ospreys and Cardiff, two teams we didn’t beat, and would have got massive self-belief from those results,” he said.
“They’ve improved their defence enormously. So, if you can defend and turn the ball over at Ellis Park where there’s lots of space, it makes you a very dangerous team, as we saw in the Lions’ game against Ulster.
“They have a very settled team, too. We’ve taken a different approach, which is to try and build as much depth as we can with the Champions Cup in mind. They don’t have to worry about national team disruptions.”
Twelve Stormers players were called up for international duty on Friday – seven to the Springboks and five to SA A – which Dobson said reflected well on the franchise.
READ: Boks make shock recall, call up Stormers stars
“It shows we’re a good place to come play rugby if you’re a youngster. To produce players like this is exactly what we want. Up there with winning competitions, producing Springboks is the most important goal we’ve got, because players then want to come to us which strengthens the whole system.”
Dobson was particularly pleased for flyhalf Manie Libbok, who was included in the Springbok squad.
“It’s been a tough road for Manie, on and off the field. To stand up off the canvas of his career and play himself into the Springbok squad through an excellent season and a bit for the Stormers makes us very happy.
“It shows we can resurrect or rebuild careers and make guys Springboks, whether they’re young or 24 years old like Manie.”
Photo: Twitter/@Springboks
