Stormers coach John Dobson lauded his players for producing a “magic performance” to dismantle defending champions Leinster 35-0 in Cape Town on Friday night.

Facing a star-studded Irish side boasting 13 internationals, the Stormers outworked and outmuscled their opponents to start the Vodacom URC season in emphatic style.

“Super proud of Ruan [Nel] and the team,” said Dobson. “We had a plan, but it had to be a different plan to the normal Stormers plan. If you work out how our game model is – it had to be about hard work, intensity, physicality, sticking to a plan and I’m super proud and grateful to them because that was a magic performance.”

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The Stormers’ pack laid the platform, dominating the maul and scoring from it twice – something Dobson credited to forwards coach Rito Hlungwani.

“Our mauls have stalled in the last two years, but Rito came up with a new product and it was sensational in George [in a pre-season match against the Sharks] and again here tonight. That’s just a product of Rito working really hard,” he said.

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Dobson also praised Wandisile Simelane for stepping in at fullback, despite the position not being his natural home.

“I thought he did well. He’s a 13 and he moved there for the team, so that’s great. But there’s nobody like Warrick Gelant, so we can’t be too complacent. We’ve got work to do there covering backfield and that’s why I’m so grateful to Wandi because he did it for the team.”

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images