‘Wandi is going to be special’ – Stormers boss makes big claim about new centre
Split with Stormers coach John Dobson and Wandisile Simelane.
Stormers head coach John Dobson was pleased to see his team take full points against Edinburgh and made a claim about his new centre, Wandisile Simelane.
It was a welcomed 43-21 win for the Capetonians, who returned to winning ways with a stunning seven-try performance, which saw the return of their typical free-flowing style.
Back in form
Dobson was delighted to have the team’s mojo back especially with the massive home fixtures approaching with Ulster next week and La Rochelle in the Champions Cup round of 16 the week after.
“It felt like a bit of our spark was back,” Dobson said. “It felt like that a lot more today, the way we want to play and our intensity, which is what Salmaan (Moerat) asked from the team before the game.
“What’s frustrating is how many tries we left out, after two weeks ago in Pretoria. It was probably double that today. But that’s not a technical thing. It’s not like something is wrong with our shape.
“I would rather have this than not being able to create those opportunities.”
Have the Stormers got their latest bargain in the form of a forgotten Springboks prodigy?
Star in the making
Throughout his time at the helm of the Cape Town side, Dobson has managed to turn recycled franchise players into Springboks. Manie Libbok’s rise from being juggled between teams to a Rugby World Cup winner is a prime example, and now the next candidate may have emerged.
The Stormers signed centre Simelane at the beginning of the year and the former Lions and Bulls man made his first start on Saturday and looked completely at home in 13 shirt so much so that Dobson admits he should have selected him against the Bulls. The coach predicts big things for his newest star.
“If I was to replay the game at Loftus…we thought hard about playing him there, on that field against his old team, and Dan is not really a 13; maybe I made a mistake. He was very good today,” Dobson said.
“Wandi is going to be special. What you can all forget about, like Joseph Dweba’s lineout throwing, don’t worry about Wandisile’s defence. He understands our system completely.”
