OD11 digital HR - Flipbook - Page 44
TWO OF
THE BEST
2024 ROBERT GRAY MEDALLISTS:
JOHN DOBSON & BLAINE TOMLINSON
The Robert Gray Medal is the most prestigious award
the school can bestow on an OD. In 2024, the OD Union
was honoured to congratulate two new recipients.
THE RUGBY WHISPERER
THE PROCESS
ODs from around the world are
invited to nominate fellow ODs
who have made a significant and
exceptional contribution in their
field of endeavour or to society
in general, writing a motivation
letter to justify their choice.
Nominations are considered
and conferred on by the selection
committee, which consists of
the College principal and the
chairmen of the College Council
and the ODU. The previous
year’s winners are announced
and, if available, awarded their
medals on Founder’s Day.
42 | THE OLD DIOCESAN
John Dobson (1985K) is best known
for his work with Western Province
Rugby – in particular the revival
of the Stormers franchise. As head
coach, his 2022 vintage became
the first Stormers team ever to win
a major international competition,
the United Rugby Championship,
defying vast odds in the process. The
Stormers have since made the 2023
final and won the local Shield twice.
Yet John regards how the team
has transformed itself on and off
the field to be of greater importance
than results. Built on the mission
of “making Cape Town smile”, this
transformation has benefited both
the team and its supporters, making
connections among the people of
Cape Town irrespective of colour,
creed, background and status.
John successfully oversaw the
move from Newlands to the new
Cape Town Stadium in 2021, and has
been instrumental in ensuring the
franchise’s long-term sustainability
by securing private equity investment.
Convinced that the team will always
belong to the people of the Cape,
he has seen the link between rugby
and the city grow ever tighter, with
match-day attendance more than
trebling under his watch.
Beyond rugby, John is the son of
the late Paul and Margaret Dobson
(staff), husband to Candice, father
of Annabel, founder of the 365 Media
Group and author of two novels. He
holds four master’s degrees and is
a qualified lawyer.
See his profile by Matthew Pearce
in Issue 1.
