Dobson hails Stormers' Boks for not being distracted as Lions ponder nasty collapse

In the build-up to Saturday's URC meeting with the Lions, Stormers coach John Dobson expressed his confidence that some of his Springbok hopefuls - notably Evan Roos, Mannie Libbok, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Joseph Dweba - would summon the necessary focus to get the job done at Ellis Park before thinking about national duty.

And in the end, that faith was rewarded as his band of fringe Green-and-Gold stars took the lead in mounting a stirring if flawed comeback victory by 31-22.

Libbok, in particular, was once again a commanding presence, while Roos and Feinberg-Mngomezulu upped their output after somewhat indifferent starts to the match.

Happily, as Dobson noted, there was to be no repeat of the 2018 Currie Cup final, where his Western Province troops fell to the Sharks after several of his stalwarts were distracted by Bok call-ups.

"You'd remember that the national team departed the night after that final and we had quite a few Bok hopefuls getting the nod like Sergeal Petersen, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, JD Schickerling and Ruhan Nel. The guys were on that plane in their heads  when the game started. Of course, you understand it because if you're making the Springbok team, the emotions will be all over the place," he said.

"But for someone like Manie Libbok to produce a performance like this one [was brilliant]. The worst thing that could happen to him today was to get injured and that could've played on his mind. It's human nature.

"Yet I was so pleased with the performance he delivered and the same with the others."

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If anything, Libbok and Co wanted to repay teammates for responding so positively to the news that no less than 14 players would be jetting