Just In: The Stormers’ first-ever win over Benetton in Treviso may have come at a big cost

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TREVISO, ITALY - OCTOBER 25: Ruhan Nel during the United Rugby Championship match between Benetton and DHL Stormers at Stadio Comunale di Monigo on October 25, 2025 in Treviso, Italy. (Photo by Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images)

The Stormers’ first-ever win over Benetton in Treviso may have come at a big cost.

Coach John Dobson has expressed concern over Damian Willemse, who suffered an injury in the hard-fought 31-16 victory on Saturday.

“Damian Willemse has probably got a pulled hamstring,” Dobson said. “He was moved to the wing, which I thought was really clever by [captain] Ruhan [Nel] so that he didn’t have to defend too much.

It probably puts some of his [Springbok] tour at risk, but the fact that he didn’t want to come off and kept playing for the Stormers was very special.”

The Stormers remain unbeaten after five rounds of the URC, with three of those wins on tour. Dobson was full of praise for his team’s resilience after a bruising encounter against a Benetton side stacked with internationals.

Very special win for us,” he said. “We’ve never won here before and it’s a really tough place to play. It was a really tough game where they obviously rolled out their big, internationally-laden team.

“It was an incredibly tough first half physically. They employed different tactics to what we’ve faced in the first four rounds. Where other teams kicked the ball out, they just put up contestable after contestable.”

The coach also credited his powerful bench and the composure of young flyhalf Jurie Mathee – who secured a personal points tally of 21 – for helping close out the historic result.

“To go through a tour unbeaten for a team that travels badly, is a very special achievement by a special group of players,” Dobson said.

“The impact of the bench was amazing – Zach [Porthen], Adre [Smith], Ruben [van Heerden], Ruan [Ackermann] – and that’s been the secret for us. Whoever’s been on the bench, there are big forwards coming on and it’s making a huge difference.

“[Cobus] Reinach is obviously a special player and I’m thrilled for Jurie as a game driver. We’re having to cope without Manie [Libbok] and now Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu], but we’ve got a very competent and talented young flyhalf who can drive a team.”

The URC now takes a month-long break for the international window, with the Stormers on the road again to face Irish giants Munster on 29 November.