URC result: Stormers into final with semi win over Connacht

The Stormers were pushed to the limit but produced the goods when needed to power their way to a 41-25 win over Connacht in their United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-final clash at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

It was a back and forth match with Connacht off to a fast start, before the Stormers battled back and then finished well to cruise into another URC final.

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It was a nervy start to the game from the Stormers as two handling errors gave Connacht the perfect start to the match.

The first knock on gave Connacht possession in the Stormers 22m, where they earned a penalty for flyhalf Jack Carty to knock over for the opening points of the match.

The second gave Connacht a scrum in the Stormers 22m which they attacked from, with the ball going through a few phases before a skip pass out to wing Mack Hansen saw him in at the corner, with Carty’s missed conversion leaving the score 8-0 after 14 minutes.

This seemed to spark the Stormers to life four minutes later as on attack on the Connacht 22m, flyhalf Manie Libbok received the ball and sent a pin perfect cross kick to wing Angelo Davids to dive over for the converted score.

A 25^th minute penalty from Libbok then gave the Stormers the lead for the first time, followed by a brilliant counter-attack started and finished by Libbok two minutes later giving them their second seven pointer and a 17-8 lead.

In the 32^nd minute the Stormers were again on attack in the Connacht half, with Davids making a superb break into the 22m, bumping off a defender and offloading to Libbok to run in his second try, with the conversion moving them 24-8 up.

On the stroke of halftime a superb break from Connacht outside centre Tom Farrell into the Stormers 22m ended with flank Conor Oliver crashing over for a vital unconverted try to cut the deficit to 11 points.

Front foot

The second half started with Connacht on the front foot and after building up some good pressure, made it count in the 58^th minute as flank Shamus Hurley-Langton forced his way over from close range, with Carty’s extras making it 24-20.

The Stormer had been struggling in the second half, but against the run of play in the 64^th minute they attacked from their own 22m, outside centre Ruhan Nel putting wing Leolin Zas away on a break, with him finding replacement scrumhalf Paul de Wet to run in the converted score.

The back and forth game continued as Connacht hit back in the 74^th minute with some good play earning space for replacement back Byron Ralston to go over for an unconverted score in the corner making it 31-25 and game on.

But the Stormers made sure it would be a party in Cape Town on Saturday night as flank Hacjivah Dayimani made two superb late try assists, first seizing on a Connacht mistake and offloading for Marcel Theunissen to go over.

That was followed by a brilliant around the back flick to put Nel in on the fulltime hooter, with Libbok adding the cherry to the cake with the conversion from out wide.

Scorers

Stormers: Tries – Angelo Davids, Manie Libbok (2), Paul de Wet, Marcel Theunissen, Ruhan Nel; Conversions – Libbok (4); Penalty – Libbok

Connacht: Tries: Mack Hansen, Conor Oliver, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Byron Ralston; Conversion – Jack Carty; Penalty – Carty