Stormers deal Connacht's URC play-off hopes a near fatal blow

Connacht saw their United Rugby Championship play-off hopes suffer another setback as they began life after Pete Wilkins with a 34-29 defeat to Stormers in Cape Town.

Wilkins this week stepped down as head coach of the Irish province after spending eight years with the club, with Cullie Tucker taking over interim charge for the rest of the season.

But Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu notched 24 points, courtesy of three first-half tries, three conversions and a penalty, as Stormers boosted their own prospects of making the top eight.

Tries from Shane Jennings and Conor Oliver, both converted by Jack Carty, twice hauled Connacht level after Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Evan Roos had crossed for Stormers.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu completed his hat-trick by the 25-minute mark but Dylan Tierney-Martin and a second from Jennings made it a two-point game at the break.

Suleiman Hartzenberg and Josh Murphy traded second-half tries with Feinberg-Mngomezulu also landing a three-pointer to leave Connacht, who collected two losing bonus points, with just two wins from their last nine games in the URC.