News24.com | Dobson humble despite 6-0 URC win record against White: 'I'm never going to win a World Cup'

WP and Stormers coach John Dobson. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)

• Stormers coach John Dobson shied away from gloating about his dominance over Bulls mentor Jake White.
• Dobson's Stormers beat White's Bulls 33-21 in Cape Town to record their sixth straight URC win in the North-South derby.
• Dobson said White is a World Cup winning coach and "one of the best in the world".

Stormers coach John Dobson has downplayed his recent dominance over Bulls counterpart Jake White.

Dobson's Stormers outplayed the Bulls 33-21 in the URC quarter-finals in Cape Town on Saturday.

It was the Stormers' sixth straight win over the Bulls since the inception of the competition last season.

White was visibly irritated in his post-game press conference when he was reminded that it was their sixth straight URC loss to the Stormers.

READ | White admits Stormers were better, takes swipe at officials: 'Best TMO, best ref in SA' 

Dobson, though, shied away from gloating about their dominance over the Bulls.

"The Bulls came out of lockdown, or during lockdown, and beat us six or seven times in a row. It was tough," Dobson told reporters.

"[White] is a guy that's won a World Cup. He's one of the best coaches in the world, probably. He's coached all over the world. I'm never going to win a World Cup and I'm never going to coach all over the world."

Dobson also heaped praise on his assistant coaches for doing a stellar job. 

"It's a collective effort. We’re a coaching collective. Dawie (Snyman), Norman (Laker) and Rito (Hlungwani) are doing extraordinary jobs. For us to get a lineout percentage of 90-something percent today against a team like the Bulls is well done to Rito.

"Norman Laker is one of the best defence coaches around ... we really are a collective."

The Stormers coach did acknowledge that Saturday's performance was a step up from their previous triumphs over the Bulls - even better than the 37-27 win in Cape Town on 23 December.

"In the context of our rivalry against the Bulls, it was one of our best. It felt a bit better than December's one, where we got away with those quick tries.

"I thought possibly in the first half we could have got a bit more reward. We were a bit irritated with ourselves, and at half-time they had scored a try without making a pass because of our own ill-discipline and a good maul by them.

"In the second half I thought they played with a lot of character and I don’t think we were at our best."

Wary of Connacht threat

The Stormers will now host Connacht in the semi-finals next weekend.

This comes after Connacht had upset the apple cart by beating Ulster 15-10 away from home in their quarter-final on Friday night.

"They have dog and mongrel in them. There is something there that is really worrying. The way they fight and their attack shape is really good.

"The way they took Ulster apart at the breakdown last night was impressive.

"Connacht is a great story from the windy grey track in the far west with the smallest budget, to do what they are doing is impressive. They don't go away, and I think Ulster saw that on Friday night. They’re going to be a much tougher opposition than what we think."