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Stuart Lancaster's Connacht pull off stunning URC shock at Stormers' expense

By PA
Connacht captain Cian Prendergast during the United Rugby Championship match between DHL Stormers and Connacht at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo By Shaun Roy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Connacht produced a brilliant comeback in the United Rugby Championship to claim a bonus-point victory over the Stormers in Cape Town.

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The hosts, who would have gone top of the table with a victory, led by 10 points with 17 minutes remaining but the visitors roared back to win 33-24.

Connacht went ahead when Shamus Hurley-Langton crossed for the first try in the seventh minute after Deon Fourie was sent to the sin-bin.

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The Stormers led at the break, though, thanks to a converted try from Evan Roos and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s penalty.

Ntuthuko Mchunu and Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored either side of a try from Paul Boyle to make it 24-14 and put the hosts seemingly in control.

But John Devine quickly pulled another try back, Connacht took the lead through Ben Murphy and Sean Naughton made sure of the victory, with Sam Gilbert adding his fourth conversion.

Prior to the game, Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster was quietly confident.

“We’ve had a good week so far in South Africa and spirits are high ahead of two very important games, and to have four players in Jansen, Heffernan, West and Gavin all return from injury is a great boost for us. We know that playing the Stormers in Cape Town means we can expect huge physicality, so we’ll have to match them in that area from the first minute while being clinical when the opportunities arise.”

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DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Damian Willemse, Ruhan Nel (CAPT), Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Scarra Ntubeni, Zachary Porthen, Adré Smith, JD Schickerling, Deon Fourie, Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos

Replacements: André-Hugo Venter, Oli Kebble, Neethling Fouché, Ruben van Heerden, Marcel Theunissen, Paul de Villiers, Stefan Ungerer, Wandisile Simelane

Connacht Rugby: Sam Gilbert, Harry West, John Devine, Cathal Forde, Shayne Bolton, Sean Naughton, Ben Murphy; Billy Bohan, Dave Heffernan, Sam Illo, David O’Connor, Darragh Murray, Cian Prendergast (CAPT), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean Jansen

Replacements: Matthew Victory, Peter Dooley, Jack Aungier, Josh Murphy, Paul Boyle, Colm Reilly, Jack Carty, Hugh Gavin

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Referee: Federico Vedovelli

AR 1: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU) AR 2: Sean Muller (SARU)

TMO: Fillipo Russo (FIR)

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3 Comments
E
Eric Elwood 1 hr ago

This match had a potential for a shock. Although Connacht started 9th in the league most of the losses were at the start and they were 5/5 in the URC leading into this. Also, Stormers would expect next weeks match V Glasgow to be the bigger challenge and could potentially be suprised by Connachts fitness and 80 min intensity.


So a top4 team in form. I thought myself that Connacht would have to limit scrums so when Sean Naughton kicked the match start straight into touch and Connacht started handling errors after the first shower I thought they would struggle.

But Billy Bohan and Sam Illo stood up to the Stormers scrum.


You could sense frustration in Stormers that the emotional performance they were hoping for was not materializing but Connacht are a serious team and would have known that Stormers frustration would be part of todays events if things were going their way. At 7-7 Connacht botched a certain try when dropping to score too early ( a foot short) from a driving Maul. Stormers went in 10-7.

Second half was a case of Stormers not being able to put distance into the lead and Connacht being more expansive in the second half and keeping in touch. Connachts firness started to tell later with offloads sticking. When they replied to a Stormers try immediately, they scored next to take the lead and with a couple of minutes left Naughton intercepted a long possession passage to put the match away for a 5 points with Stormers getting none.

Connacht have arguably the best coach in the league in Stuart Lancaster, have big plans for next year but could be a dark horse in the URC this year.

Lions next in Jo-burg!


Stormers didn’t get the win for Chippy Solomon but great respect shown to him before the match by all concerned.

R
Rodney Ford 1 hr ago

Well done Connacht.


Stormers have no respect for rugby, their fans or their opponents. Pathetic.

E
Eric Elwood 1 hr ago

Why do you say that?

Thought the match was a great occasion with a great atmosphere particularly as a memorial for Chippy Solomon. Not the result Stormers wanted but a delightful mixture of niggle and respect.

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