The Stormers will have to readjust their objectives for the remainder of the season after they came up short against the Bulls in Cape Town in Saturday.

Heading into this game, the high-flying Bulls were ranked third on the log, while the Stormers were languishing in 12th spot in the bottom half of the log.

But while the narrow 33-22 defeat to their fiercest rivals earned the Stormers two losing bonus points to push them two places up the table to 10th, Dobson admitted that their hopes of finishing in the top four are all but gone.

“The next two weeks we are in the Highveld, and it is going to be tough,” the Stormers stressed.

“My gut says this was a chance for a top four spot, I might be wrong given the other results. But we will be fine for Top Eight.

“We have shown today [Saturday] we do not need to lose again this season.”

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Sti Sithole.
Subs: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Gary Porter, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Jonathan Roche, 23 Clayton Blommetjies.

Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Willie le Roux, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Reinhardt Ludwig, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johann Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Subs: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Sebastian de Klerk.

WILL THE STORMERS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS?

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The Stormers lost 33-22 against the Bulls. Image: Via X/@TheStormers.

Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/bulls/stormers-stunning-admission-goodbye-top-four/