DHL Stormers 24
Connacht 33
Connacht not only delivered their biggest win of the season, but also the upset of the BKT URC, with an impressive and gritty performance over the Stormers to jump into the top eight.
Only their second victory over this South African side, which had won their last four meetings, Connacht have given their chances of making the quarter-finals a huge boost, having been stuck outside the top eight for most of the season.
Not only is it Connacht’s first victory in Cape Town, but it is also the first time the Stormers have lost to a European team since being defeated in the URC final in 2023.
“Huge for Connacht,” says coach Stuart Lancaster. “For me this win is right up there in terms of the circumstances around the fixture. The club has done a great job in developing younger players, and we saw that today. It is a huge result for the club.”
Understandably the home side, with their unbeaten record over Irish provinces this season, were favourites, and given that internationals Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen were missing from the Connacht line-up, the South African outfit went into the fixture with a handicap of -21. And despite a narrow 10-7 lead at the break, that did not look like changing.
Stacked with internationals - some nine in the starting XV led by scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and winger Damian Willemse - and currently second in the table, Stormers was always going to be a tough assignment for Stuart Lancaster’s men. Add in the recent passing of Stormers’ team manager Christopher “Chippie” Solomon - the team’s father figure - and that shared sense of loss added another dimension.
For much of the match it looked like it would play out as expected, despite Connacht having won five games in succession. Yet it was those victories that had instilled a growing confidence in Lancaster’s squad as they fought back from being behind 17-7.
A yellow card for the Stormes’flanker Deon Fourie paved the way for Connacht to open the scoring through Shamus Hurley-Langton on after seven minutes. It came from a solid build-up and continuity play as Connacht put the ball through some 14 hands following a penalty to touch before the Connacht open side stretched for the line, and fullback San Gilbert added the conversion.
It was not long before the hosts replied. Capitalising on two penalties, Stormers No 8 Evan Roos delivered from a patient build-up, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezlu converting.
Yet Connacht stood up well in the physical exchanges, and created opportunities. They lacked the execution to add another try when losing the ball short of line, but in what was becoming an attritional game, Sam Illo epitomised Connacht’s combative strength.
The Stormers should have scored another try, but for Hugh Gavin’s defensive effort. However, they added a penalty for a scrum collapse to give them a narrow 10-7 lead and then took control after the break. Capitalising when Cian Prendergast was pinged they delivered a try through prop Ntuthuko Mchunu, with the outhalf adding the extras for a 17-7 lead.
With Ben Murphy at the forefront, Connacht took control for long periods, but were unable to translate successive penalties into scores with Sam Illo denied just shy of the line. However, captain Paul Boyle delivered to put Connacht into a 17-14 lead - a deserved reward following a sustained and patient attack on the Stormers line.
As expected the home side replied, and lthough stymied by a relieving kick from Murphy at first, they eventually crossed after 63 minutes. From a penalty to touch and the ensuing drive, outhalf Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored and added the extras.
However, Connacht were able to capitalise on a poor restart with John Devine scoring within a minutes, closing the gap to five. And with momentum, Lancaster’s men produced a try through a chip over the top from Shayne Bolton for Ben Murphy to touch down for a 24-26 lead.
As expected the home side did everything to claim the winner, but Connacht never relented, working hard off the ball to deny their hosts. A massive clearance kick from Sam Gilbert helped relieve some pressure, but it was Connacht outhalf Sean Naughton whose intercept and dash from half-way sealed the victory in the remaining minutes to deliver a huge result for Connacht in the race to the eight.
Scorers for Stormers, Tries: E Roos, N Mchunu, S Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3 ). Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Scorers for Connacht, Tries: S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle, J Devine, B Murphy, S Naughton. Cons: S Gilbert (4 ).
STORMERS: W Gelant; D Willemse (W Simelane 78 ), R Nel (c ), D du Plessis, L Zas; S Feinberg-Mngomezulu, C Reinach (S Ungerer 70 ); N Mchunu (O Kebble 59 ), S Ntubeni (AH Venter 34 ), Z Porthen (N Fouché 50 ); A Smith (R van Heerden 62 ), JD Schickerling; D Fourie (P de Villiers 50 ), BJ Dixon (M Theunissen 62 ), E Roos.
CONNACHT: S Gilbert; H West, J Devine, C Forde (H Gavin 5 ), S Bolton; S Naughton, B Murphy (C Reilly 79 ); B Bohan (P Dooley 56 ), D Heffernan (M Victory 24 ), S Illo (J Aungier 56 ); D O’Connor (J Murphy 60 ), D Murray; C Prendergast (c ) (P Boyle 24-30 ), S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen (Boyle 41, O’Connor 69 ).
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy ).
