STORMERS
Director of RugbyJohn Dobson
John Dobson is the director of rugby at the Stormers, the coach who won the inaugural URC title in 2022 and has committed to the club through to 2029.
Tenure record
as of 7 Aug 2026By competition
United Rugby Championship 20P · 13W · 1D · 6L
Champions Cup 5P · 3W · 0D · 2L
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 1P · 0W · 0D · 1L
John Dobson has overseen 26 completed Stormers matches in our database since September 2025 — 16 won, 1 drawn, 9 lost. That is a 61.5% win rate, with 724 points scored and 576 conceded.
Records are computed from the WeTalkRugby match database and cover matches we hold data for within this tenure. They are not an official all-time record.
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Coaching career
- 2020-2024 Stormers Head Coach
- 2024- Stormers Director of Rugby
Honours
- 2022 United Rugby Championship (Stormers)
- 2017 Currie Cup (Western Province)
- 2012 Vodacom Cup (Western Province)
- 2013 U21 Provincial Championship (Western Province U21)
- 2010 U21 Provincial Championship (Western Province U21)
Players under John Dobson
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About John Dobson
John Dobson is Director of Rugby at the Stormers, having moved up from head coach in March 2024. In January 2026 he signed a four-year extension through to 2029, turning down interest from the Premiership.
Born in 1970, he was a hooker for Western Province and Cape club sides UCT Ikey Tigers, Villagers and Northerns, with later spells in Italy and Portugal. He was never capped.
Up through the Cape system
Dobson coached UCT Ikey Tigers from 2008, then Western Province Under-21s and the Vodacom Cup side, winning provincial age-grade titles in 2010 and 2013 and the Vodacom Cup in 2012. He took over the Western Province Currie Cup team in 2015, winning the competition in 2017, and became Stormers head coach in 2019.
The URC title
His defining achievement came in 2022, when the Stormers won the inaugural United Rugby Championship, beating the Bulls in an all-South African final at a packed Cape Town Stadium. They reached the final again in 2023 and the semi-finals in 2026.
Style
Dobson’s teams play an expansive, ball-in-hand game, and he has invested heavily in homegrown Cape talent rather than recruiting around the problem. He is also among the most candid coaches in the game with the media, which has made him unusually quotable and occasionally unpopular with administrators.
Frequently asked
Who is the director of rugby of Stormers?
John Dobson is the director of rugby of Stormers.
When did John Dobson take charge?
John Dobson took over at Stormers in March 2024, around 2 years ago.
What is John Dobson's record?
From 26 matches in our database: 16 wins, 1 draws and 9 defeats — a 61.5% win rate.
What nationality is John Dobson?
John Dobson is South African.
What has John Dobson won?
Honours include: United Rugby Championship (Stormers) (2022), Currie Cup (Western Province) (2017), Vodacom Cup (Western Province) (2012), U21 Provincial Championship (Western Province U21) (2013), U21 Provincial Championship (Western Province U21) (2010).
