They say it takes a big man to admit it when he’s wrong, well I had my fair share of groot stukke vleis over the last month or so.
And now it’s time to eat some humble pie; John Dobson has been doing a superb job with the Stormers over the last few months or so.
Yes, I was the one who suggested some time last year that they replace him with Peter de Villiers, I was also ridiculed by readers for slamming this team and the setup at the start of the year when things weren’t going their way overseas and domestically.
The setup is still a mess, but among the chaos Dobson has been creating a team that makes rugby worth watching again.
Winning is key to that cause, but the attractive way in which the Stormers team has gelled over the last few weeks, makes me think of leaving the comfort of my sofa for an outing to the Cape Town Stadium. I do need some more convincing, though.
But all of a sudden people are talking about the Stormers’ running game, with the likes of Warrick Gelant, Manie Libbok, Seabelo Senatla and Evan Roos being tipped for the Green and Gold.
According to the tournament’s stats, Libbok is the leading points scorer with 94, Senatla the leading try-scorer with eight touchdowns, Roos made the most successful carries with 77 while also beating the fourth-most defenders (34).
Gelant has been something else in the tournament of late, making the fourth most metres (565) and also the second most offloads (24) in just nine starts.
As a team, the Stormers also rank second in the United Rugby Championship in terms of offloads with 135, made the second-most clean breaks (89), while they have beaten the fourth-most defenders (240).
Those stats indicate that the Stormers are firing on all cylinders on attack.
But what about their defence?
This, too, has been on the up, with the Capetonians conceding only one try in their last two matches - the 55-7 win over Zebre and the 40-3 slagting of Cardiff.
Their ultimate test will be this week when they face Duane Vermeulen and his Ulster pals.
But for now, as a guy who didn’t always give you the credit you deserve, I tip my hat to Dobbo as they call him.
With a boardroom in tatters and the administrators throwing klippe at mekaar left, right and centre, money being an issue, two squads to negate because of the Currie Cup, Covid-19, a new home and all the troubles it brings, you have certainly earned your stripes.
Having said this, the real work starts now and that’s why I’m glad to hear the same rhetoric coming out of the squad on a weekly basis; ‘we just want to improve on last week’s performance’.
Yes, there will be some speed humps along the way and you will get klapped every now and then, but continue to do you.
With the good comes the bad and in this case, it’s the yet-to-be-confirmed move of Gelant to France.
Dobson and his assistant coaches have really worked hard to get the best out of their team and it’s an absolute delight to see Gelant and Libbok running the show in the Mother City.
Getting the best out of Libbok - something the guys in Durban and at Loftus couldn’t do - took some belief in the player, even with the likes of Damian Willemse and Kade Wolhuter in the Mother City.
It’s paying off. But I do think Libbok and Gelant are like brandewyn and coke - die een kan nie sonder die ander nie.
That’s why it’d be sad to see the end of this partnership should Gelant go.
Anyway, back to Ulster and this week - go Stormers!