Stormers coach disappointed by second-half showing in Leinster draw

The visitors would have been hopeful of coming away with a victory against the table-topping Irish outfit who were without their Irish internationals - particularly after opening up a 17-0 lead in the first half.

But Leinster came roaring back in the second half to take a 22-17 lead before the Stormers managed to salvage a draw thanks to a late try from Clayton Blommetjies despite being a man down.

The match was played in strong winds and rain, and while Dobson stopped short of making excuses, Dobson admitted they struggled with the conditions in the second half.

Still, Leinster were coming off a run of 15 straight victories in the competition, and it was an impressive effort to halt that run in Dublin.

"At 22-17 down with 14 men, we were probably looking at getting nothing out of the game, so the way we fought back was pleasing," said Dobson after the match.

"We're very disappointed with our start to the second half.

"I don't know how much you could see on TV, but the conditions were really tough. It was Galway-like with that wind and rain, and it was tricky because the whole week, the weather was fine.

"It was horizontal rain coming through. Obviously these guys, by being here, get used to it more. But we still had a message at half-time that we didn't apply, which was frustrating."

But Dobson admitted his team made some crucual mistakes in allowing Leinster back into the contest.

"I thought we were very poor at kicking contestables into the wind, so I'm disappointed with how we played tactically in the second half," he said.

"It was a game of real intensity with two quality teams going at each other. Mixed feelings. We were under the pump for large parts of that second half.

"When they scored their fourth try and we had 14 men, I thought we might be done. The wind was just insane and we were trapped, but the character was brilliant to come back from there and that's the best thing about this team.

"A draw was a reasonably fair result, but I'm just disappointed with the way we played into the wind.

"If we want to be top of the table in the URC, then we have to learn how to win in the northern hemisphere, and I think this is probably more of a step forward than a backward one."

The Stormers return to action next weekend when they host Harlequins at DHL Stadium in the last 16 of the European Champions Cup.