Champions Cup: Stormers not going to die wondering against mighty Toulon

The Cape Town franchise has been building over the last 12 months and a number of high-profile signings have combined with a purple patch of form to put the club in good standing. A run of eight consecutive wins propelled them to the top of the United Rugby Championship, where they are proper contenders for a title they won in 2022.

But the crown jewel of European rugby, the Champions Cup, has not been kind to South African teams. The Republic is still waiting for a club to reach the semifinals, let alone a title. Now, Dobson feels he finally has the squad to compete against the French giants.

"A couple of years ago, we probably wouldn't have had the capacity," he told the media on Saturday after their 33-14 win over Edinburgh.

"Now, despite the injuries, I feel like we've got a bit more depth and the ability to go full-out for this.

"It's a really good Toulon team. They've got a strong scrum and they're very fast. That caught us when we played them before - just how quick they are across the park.

"But what an experience for us. It'll be a part of our growth. We'll give it a full go. A full, full crack."

Dobson is under no illusion as to the challenge that awaits in the rugby parthenon that is Stade Mayol Toulon.

"Our set-piece will be crucial," he continued.

"We pride ourselves on our scrum, but they're one of the best in France. I don't think we're going to grind them down with that size of pack. We're not going to grind out something like we did tonight [against Edinburgh].

"They win every scrum battle. I think they're No 2 in France. We are going to have to spin and win.

"The contestable kicking game could also be an area we can use. But we're going to have to get into that transition to play with a bit of freedom."

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