Stormers 34 

Connacht 29

Jon Cardinelli reports from the Cape Town Stadium

CONNACHT WERE DENIED a late try as the Stormers held on for a narrow win in Cape Town.

It’s been a challenging couple of weeks for Connacht, after losing Mack Hansen, Bundee
 Aki, Josh Ioane, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Denis Buckley, and Finn Treacy to injuries.

More recently, Pete Wilkins stepped down as head coach, leaving Cullie Tucker to take the reins for the two-match tour to South Africa.

A weakened Connacht side showed some fight on a perfect late summer afternoon in
 Cape Town, and in the end, they came within one play of a monumental victory.

The first half belonged to the Stormers and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who finished the match with a hat-trick and a total of 24 points.

A series of well directed chip kicks found plenty of space behind the Connacht defence,
while the Stormers’ excellent offloading game led to further scoring opportunities.

It was a loose first half, and while Feinberg-Mngomezulu showed spectacular vision and
execution to score three tries inside 26 minutes, Connacht were just as prolific at the other end of the park.

While the visitors battled to control the space behind their defensive line, the hosts proved susceptible in the wider channels.

Winger Shayne Jennings jetted in for his second try on the stroke of half-time, as 
Connacht reduced the deficit to a mere two points.

The Stormers struck in the 48th minute, when Feinberg-Mngomezulu threw yet another
 outrageous offload to set up winger Suleiman Hartzenberg for a try.

The momentum was with the hosts at that stage, and Connacht centre Cathal Forde was
 shown a yellow card in the 55th minute after infringing inside his own 22m area.

But the tourists showed remarkable resolve to withstand a further assault on their line, and move downfield.

The Stormers were penalised in the red zone, with fullback Warrick Gelant receiving a
 yellow in the 64th minute. Connacht didn’t let the Stormers off the hook, with replacement Josh Murphy scoring from close range.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked a penalty thereafter to consolidate the Stormers’ lead, and
 run down the clock.

Connacht then had two late chances to score. Replacement tighthead prop Jack Aungier spilled the ball with only Feinberg-Mngomezulu to beat from a few metres out and, on the stroke of full-time, Cordero crossed the tryline, but the officials opted to check a potential obstruction in the buildup.

When referee Sam Grove-White ruled no try, the crowd at the Cape Town Stadium erupted in celebration.

Despite falling short, Connacht claimed two valuable points from a thrilling contest.

Connacht will conclude their tour to South Africa with a fixture against the Lions in
 Johannesburg next Saturday.

Stormers scorers:

Tries: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3), Evan Roos, Suleiman Hartzenberg

Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu [3 from 5]

Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu [1 from 2]

Connacht scorers:

Tries: Shayne Jennings (2), Conor Oliver, Dylan Tierney-Martin, Josh Murphy.

Conversions: Jack Carty [2 from 5]

STORMERS: Warrick Gelant, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Dan du Plessis, Damian Willemse, Seabelo Senatla, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stefan Ungerer; Ali Vermaak, André-Hugo Venter, Sazi Sandi, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Ruben van Heerden, Paul de Villiers, Marcel Theunissen, Evan Roos.

Replacements: JJ Kotze, Vernon Matongo, Brok Harris, JD Schickerling, Louw Nel, Deon Fourie, Paul de Wet, Ben Loader.

CONNACHT: Piers O’Conor; Chay Mullins, David Hawkshaw, Cathal Forde, Shane
Jennings, Jack Carty, Ben Murphy; Peter Dooley, Dylan Tierney-Martin, Finlay Bealham,
Oisin Dowling, Darragh Murray, Cian Prendergast (captain), Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Josh Murphy, Joe Joyce, Matthew Devine, Santiago Cordero, Sean Jansen.

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)