Report: Stormers boss the front runner for Harlequins job
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Harlequins search for Paul Gustard's replacement has led them to South Africa according to reports by the Telegraph and the Rugby Paper.
According to both reports, Stormers head coach John Dobson is in pole position to fill the role vacated by Gustard.
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The Rugby Paper reports that Dobson impressed in his interview last week while former Bath coach Tabai Matson, who is currently with the Chiefs in New Zealand, was also spoken to for the role.
A former hooker, Dobson played for Western Province and also had spells in Italy at Valpolicella Rugby Club and Portugal.
Following his retirement, he held a coaching role at Roma before returning to South Africa where he was the head coach of university side Ikey Tigers, the university of Cape Town, during their first three season in the Varisty Cup. During the three seasons he reached the final twice and was knocked out in the semi-finals in his final year.
Dobson has been involved with Western Province and the Stormers since 2010 coaching the Vodacom Cup team as well as multiple youth sides including the u21s.
In 2015, he was appointed as the head coach of Western Province's Currie Cup for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, taking over from Allister Coetzee. In his first season of charge, he guided Western Province for the Currie Cup final – their fourth consecutive final appearance – but they fell short, losing the final 24–32 against the Golden Lions.
In 2017, he managed to win the Currie Cup before losing the final to the Sharks a year later. His continued success in the franchise saw him being unveiled as the new head coach of the Stormers ahead of the 2020 Super Rugby season following the departure of Robbie Fleck.
Dobson is highly rated in South Africa having impressed in the youth structures of Western Province and the Stormers.
