Libbok fires Stormers into another URC Final

URC REPORT: The Stormers advanced to another United Rugby Championship Final after they beat Connacht 43-25 in their semifinal in Cape Town on Saturday.

There were 10 tries scored in a rollercoaster match with the home side getting six of them.

Flyhalf Manie Libbok produced a man-of-the-match performance with two tries in a 23-point contribution.

After Connacht opened the scoring, the home side raced to a 24-8 lead before the visitors staged a fightback.

However, the Capetonians had too much class in the end as late tries saw off the challenge from a brave Connacht side.

The visitors drew first blood when they won a scrum penalty deep inside the Stormers’ half. They opted for the polls and flyhalf Jack Carty gave his team the three points.

The home side looked very nervy after that and Connacht continued to apply pressure.

The Irish side were rewarded for their persistence when Mack Hansen went over in the corner after a great long pass. Carty was off target with the conversion.

However, it didn’t take long for the Capetonians to get on the scoreboard after that with Angelo Davids collecting a ball from a cross-kick from Manie Libbok before running in for an easy try. Libbok add the extra two points with the conversion.

The Stormers then found themselves in front in the 25th minute when Libbok landed a straightforward penalty.

John Dobson’s side then went further in front a few minutes later when a quick throw-in launched a great counter-attack and after a few passes, the ball found its way to Libbok who ran in for the try. He also added the extras with the conversion.

The Stormers seemed to be growing in confidence after that and it showed in their attacking game.

After a line-out inside Connacht’s half, the ball was spread to the midfield with Angelo Davids breaking through the defence and evading defenders before passing the ball to Libbok who ran in for his second try of the game. He was also on target with the conversion.

However, it was Connacht who would have the final say in the half when Conor Oliver crashed over for a try after a great break in the middle of the park earlier in the play.

Carty’s conversion attempt was charged down and at half-time, it was 24-13 to the Stormers.

Both teams had their fair share of possession in the opening stages of the second half, but it was Connacht who got the first points in the 59th minute.

After sustained pressure in the Stormers’ 22, Shamus Hurley-Langton powered his way over the tryline. Carty then made it a four-point ball game with his successful conversion.

However, a few minutes later the Stormers had the home fans on their feet again. The ball was spread wide from a scrum and Leolin Zas found himself in space before sending the ball on his inside to Paul de Wet who ran in for his team’ fourth try. Libbok made it an 11-point lead with the conversion.

But the visitors were not about to give up after and they reduced the home side’s lead to six points with six minutes left on the clock after Byron Ralston found his way to the tryline after some great backline play. Tom Daly’s conversion attempt went horribly wide.

Daly’s day went from bad to worse when he failed to gather a high ball. The Stormers pounced on the loose ball and after a great run by Hacjivah Dayimani, the ball found its way to Marcel Theunissen, who scored his team’s fifth try.

Minutes later the Stormers put the final nail in Connacht’s coffin when Ruhan Nel scored the sixth try after receiving the ball from a magical Dayimani pass.

The Stormers will now wait for the result of the second semifinal. A win for Munster will see the Final in Cape Town once again. However, a Leinster win would mean the Stormers will have to travel to Dublin.

Player of the Match

Manie Libbok. For the second week running the South Africa flyhalf claimed the man of the match award following another star showing. After a testing start to the match for him and his side, the point-scoring machine started the fightback and was heavily involved throughout, both with ball in hand and with the boot, to keep the Stormers on course to defend their URC crown.

Play of the Match

In a semifinal full of memorable moments of skill and enterprise, Libbok’s cross-field kick to pick out Davids for the Stormers’ opening try was right up there. The champions were on the ropes at the time after Connacht had raced into an 8-0 lead, but Libbok eased the home side’s nerves with a pinpoint kick to the unmarked Davids and the wing had the simple job of touching down.

The scorers:

For Stormers:
Tries: Davids, Libbok 2, De Wet, Theunissen, Nel
Cons: Libbok 5
Pen: Libbok

For Connacht:
Tries: Hansen, Oliver, Hurley-Langton, Ralston
Con: Carty
Pen: Carty

Teams:

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Ben-Jason Dixon, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 23 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 John Porch, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Cian Prendergast, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 5 Niall Murray, 4 Josh Murphy, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Jordan Duggan, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Tom Daly 23 Byron Ralston.

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland) & Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
TMO: Ben Blain (Scotland)

Player and Play of the match provided by @URCOfficiial