Dobson calls for grit against lung-busting Emirates Lions
John Dobson
has warned that status will count for naught when the DHL Stormers blow into
Johannesburg on Saturday to hunt down an Emirates Lions team primed to drag the
reigning Vodacom URC SA Shield champions to “dark places”.
"Going up to
the Highveld in week one is about as tough as we can have, and we're very aware
that this season is not going to be anything like the ride we had last year,”
said the DHL Stormers coach. South Africa’s flag
bearers in both of the past two seasons, the DHL Stormers, clinched the 2021-22 Vodacom United Rugby Championship title and fell one win short of backing it up in 2022-23 as Munster upset the
hosts in the Cape Town final. No fewer than 15
points separated the DHL Stormers from their closest SA rival, the Vodacom
Bulls, last season, as Dobson’s team went unbeaten in local derbies. However, a new
season brings with it new challenges and the DHL Stormers begin their third
campaign with a perilous trip to the Lions Den, the historic ground of Emirates
Airline Park. The “City of Gold”
poses a unique obstacle that cannot be underestimated – built on the eastern
plateau of South Africa’s Highveld at an altitude of 1750 metres,
Johannesburg’s low oxygen levels pose a serious challenge to the lungs of
visiting players not acclimatised to the city's thin air. The Emirates Lions
may be SA’s perennial underdogs, but they play with an insatiable hunger at
home, running opponents off their feet to exploit the Highveld factor. "The Emirates
Lions have been very tough at home,” said Dobson. “They've tended to
start competitions well. “They'll have a lot
of energy after pre-season and will back themselves to get away from us at the
end of the game, given the altitude and the importance they've placed on their conditioning,
so we're going to have to show some character.” Last season saw the
Emirates Lions make a terrific start, winning four of their opening six
matches, including a three-win streak on the road against Ospreys, Cardiff and
Edinburgh. It is this kind of
form that prompted Dobson to prime his charges for what to expect from the Vodacom URC's wildcats. “They are a team
that uses the conditions and the environment to their advantage, and they rely
on teams to fade away in minutes 60 to 80 at Emirates Airline Park. This is
when we've got to show our character.” Adding to the DHL
Stormers’ challenge is that they are without a quartet of stars on Springbok
duty at the World Cup – namely Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse, Deon Fourie and
Frans Malherbe. In contrast, the
Emirates Lions are at full strength, none of their players having been called
up to the national squad, and they are consequently in a position to maximise
their continuity. Dobson is wary of
the challenge but believes there’s an inherent opportunity for growth. “We may not be at
what people regard as full strength, through a couple of injuries and some guys
in France, but we see this as a helluva opportunity for some young players and
new players to experience this. “If you want to
retain the SA Shield, you're going to have to go to some dark places against SA
opposition, and that’s what we’re faced with this week."
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