URC: Stormers fall to Cardiff, Glasgow claim top spot with Ulster win

CARDIFF EARN HARD-FOUGHT WIN OVER STORMERS

Cardiff finished their United Rugby Championship campaign on a high with a 22-16 comeback victory over Stormers at Cardiff Arms Park.

The South African side hit the front in the seventh minute as, after a period of pressure, the Stormers made the hosts pay with the first try of the contest when Adre Smith barged over.

Cardiff were behind for just over 10 minutes before they equalised, Jacob Beetham helped put the Blue and Blacks level, and they hit the front shortly after when Tom Bowen flew over in the corner following a well-worked team move.

Stormers cut the deficit to two points on the half-hour mark through Sacha Mngomezulu’s penalty, but the home side extended their advantage to seven points with the last action of the first period when Ioan Lloyd crossed over in the corner.

The Stormers kept themselves in the contest through another penalty five minutes into the second half when Mngomezulu split the posts for a second time.

Cardiff scored their fourth try of the match in the 49th minute when Jacob Beetham added his second of the night and Mngomezulu’s penalty in the final minute was nothing more than a consolation.

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CONNAGHT WIN CONVINCINGLY AGAINST EDINBURGH

Shamus Hurley-Langton scored twice as Connacht finished their campaign with back-to-back victories thanks to a 26-5 win away to Edinburgh.

Following a tight start to the game, the Irish side went 5-0 ahead in the 24th minute when Josh Ioane flew over in the corner following a neat breakaway.

Connacht celebrated a second try five minutes before the break. After building through the phases they managed to crash over the whitewash through Hurley-Langton, who went in under the posts.

And there was still time for the visitor to score another before the break too, Hurley-Langton was on the end of it once again and Sam Gilbert added the extras to make it 19-0 at the halfway point.

Connacht were threatening to get out of sight and added a fourth score midway through the second half, a chip and breakaway set them on the front foot and Matthew Devine was able to sail under the posts to help make it 26-0.

Edinburgh did get themselves on the scoreboard after 72 minutes though, Ewan Ashman got the first points after Duhan van der Merwe’s break but it proved too little too late.

GLASGOW FINISH TOP FOLLOWING VICTORY OVER ULSTER

Glasgow finished at the top of URC table thanks to a 26-22 victory over Ulster at Affidea Stadium.

The Warriors scored the opening try of the game in the eighth minute when Sione Tuipulotu found Stafford McDowall, who broke through a gap and flew in under the posts.

But Ulster managed to turn the game on its head after half an hour as Zac Ward scored in the corner for their first try before he picked an intercept and ran the full length of the field against the run of play for his second of the night to put his side ahead.

However, Glasgow managed to score twice before the break which gave them a nine-point lead at the halfway point, firstly Nathan McBeth managed to just get the ball down before George Horne jumped over the whitewash underneath the sticks.

The hosts once again managed to come from behind and stick their noses in front though as Ethan McIlroy found the whitewash in the corner following a foot race before Jack Murphy went the full length of the field to put them in front.

Ulster were unable to hang on as their opponents regained the lead with four minutes to play, with Kyle Rowe going over in the corner after a great pass from Euan Ferrie out wide to give them a bonus-point try and top spot.