Stormers exit Champions Cup on heartbreak call as Dobson questions TMO ruling

The Stormers are out of the Champions Cup after a 28-27 defeat to Toulon at Stade Mayol on Saturday, a result that hinged on a contentious late TMO decision that denied Adre Smith what appeared to be a match-winning try.

With the game in the balance deep into the final minutes, Smith was ruled held up over the line following a review — a call that left coach John Dobson and his players visibly frustrated. Dobson's central grievance was the role of Toulon flank Charles Ollivon in the incident, arguing Ollivon was on the ground and inside the field of play, and therefore in an offside position, when he prevented the grounding.

"I believe Adre Smith got it down, but I don't understand why it wasn't awarded," Dobson said. "What's frustrating for us is that Charles Ollivon is clearly inside the field of play and on the ground. Once it goes to the TMO, then maybe you can't see the grounding, and the on-field decision for some reason is no try. A very frustrating way for the game to end."

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who orchestrated much of the Stormers' attacking game, acknowledged in hindsight that a drop goal attempt may have been an option in the closing stages but stopped short of dwelling on it. "We probably had them in the contest," he said. "Upon reflection, I probably could've dropped into the pocket, but it's easier said when things don't go our way."

Feinberg-Mngomezulu was also pointed in his observations about the officiating more broadly, noting a maul incident involving JD Schickerling that he felt should have been called differently, while stopping short of directly criticising the try decision. "Some people thought it was a try and some people didn't. I think we could have been a lot more fortunate with some of the calls towards the end."

Dobson was candid about where the Stormers fell short, acknowledging the scrum never functioned at its usual level and that defensive spacing cost them at a critical moment — allowing Toulon to score immediately after the Stormers had taken the lead, which he described as "one of the worst things in rugby."

"We needed to score twice with eight minutes to go, and we should never have been in that position," he said. "We didn't get our usual scrum dominance, and it just seemed to be a bit more of a mess. We also had to adapt to some Champions Cup interpretations."

Despite the exit, Dobson was keen to credit the character shown, pointing to Toulon visibly tiring under the Stormers' defensive pressure in the latter stages.

Attention now turns to the URC, with Connacht visiting Cape Town Stadium on April 18. Dobson flagged defensive spacing as the primary area requiring work ahead of that fixture.