Cape Town – Stormers’ coach John Dobson said his team had been given a wake-up call after their unbeaten start to the Super Rugby season was unceremoniously ended at home by the Blues on Saturday.
After four successive wins, the table toppers came crashing down as they were beaten 33-14 at Newlands in a sloppy performance that saw the coach criticise his team.
"It is a massive wake-up call. The most disappointing thing was that something we have prided ourselves on is our physicality and you guys have written about our character,” he told reporters afterwards.
"Both were absent. We began to look like victims. We just weren’t working hard enough. We were sliding off tackles and giving them yards on attack."
The Stormers missed 35 tackles in a static performance that saw the Blues, who had not won at Newlands since 2009, surge into a 20-point lead in as many minutes.
"I thought the Blues were superb," added Dobson. "They came at us early and got us physically. We didn’t stay in the fight. They deserved the win and the margin of win.
"I’m extremely disappointed with that performance. I’m not sure what the Blues said, but in my mind they really hit their straps."
The Stormers now have a bye this weekend before they head to Durban to meet the Sharks, who return home this week after two successive wins in Australia.