John Dobson has spoken candidly about why Moerat left the Stormers for La Rochelle — the social media abuse directed at the lock had become genuinely damaging, and the move to France was partly about escaping a toxic narrative. Dobson draws a sharp line between legitimate criticism and the kind of targeted hostility that also followed Kolisi and Warrick Gelant, describing it as a deliberate attempt to destroy players' confidence. Now showing form off the bench in the Champions Cup, Moerat has earned his way back into Erasmus's 37-man squad for the November Nations Championship leg — and Dobson is quick to credit the Bok management for not losing sight of him during the overseas transition, a genuine risk for any player who heads north.