John Dobson: Stormers showed championship calibre against Benetton

The bonus-point win lifts the Stormers to sixth on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) table, with two rounds of the regular season remaining.

The dominant display was a timely response to their previous outing, where they narrowly defeated Connacht despite conceding five tries. Dobson acknowledged the importance of the result, both in terms of the standings and the statement it sent regarding the team's ambitions.

"Credit to Salmaan (Moerat) and the players. There was a maturity to that performance," said Dobson. "It was a big week, an emotional week, because we knew we had to change dramatically to show that we are a championship team."

The Stormers took control early, establishing a commanding 30-0 lead by halftime with tries from Sazi Sandi, Dan du Plessis, and Seabelo Senatla, complemented by the precise kicking of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The second half saw the Cape side add four more tries through Marcel Theunissen, Leolin Zas, Paul de Villiers, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who ended the match with an impressive 26-point contribution.

Dobson emphasised the intent behind the team's performance: "We wanted this to be a statement game. It was important for our supporters to see that we are serious about progressing to the quarter-finals. While we pride ourselves on entertaining rugby, today was about showing substance and playoff potential."

With the Stormers now well-positioned for the knockout stages, attention has turned to the possibility of a high-stakes South African quarter-final derby. The Sharks currently occupy fourth place and, should positions hold, will host the Stormers in what would be a much-anticipated fixture in Durban.

The two sides have each claimed a win in their regular-season encounters - the Sharks prevailing 21-15 in Durban, followed by a narrow 24-20 Stormers win in Cape Town. Dobson welcomed the prospect of a local clash.

"If we continue on this trajectory, we're likely to stay in South Africa and face the Sharks," he noted. "That would be a compelling matchup, and we'd prefer a local fixture rather than travelling abroad in the first round. We back ourselves at home or in familiar conditions."

The Stormers now enjoy a brief break before resuming their campaign at Cape Town Stadium against the Dragons on 10 May, followed by their final regular-season fixture against Cardiff on 16 May. With form and focus aligning, they appear poised for a strong finish to the league phase.

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