Stormers hang tough against Cardiff in red-card game

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers ensured they will go into the United Rugby Championship play-offs with some winning momentum.

They beat a determined Cardiff 34-24 in Cape Town on Friday in a game that saw both teams issued foul-play red cards.

Cardiff prop Danny Southworth was issued his marching orders in the half-hour mark, with Stormers fullback Damian Willemse joining him just short of the hour mark – both for shoulder-to-head high tackles.

The Stormers always seemed to have the edge in a stop-start affair, with moments of brilliance by their backs securing the win for the home team.

The scrums were a mess, and at the breakdown, Cardiff also made life unpleasant for the home team.

The bonus-point win ensured the Stormers will finish the league season in fifth place and will travel in the play-offs, while Card’s four-try bonus point means they have to wait for the outcome of other matches to see if they qualify for the quarterfinals.

* To recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!

* The article continues below ….

It was a scrappy start, but Damian Willemse sparked the home team with a 50-22 after it appeared the attack was going nowhere.

From the line-out they took it through the phases until Manie Libbok floated a pass to the left and Leolin Zas sprinted over for the first try. Damian Willemse’s conversion attempt was wayward – 5-0.

Cardiff replied with a try by prop Danny Southworth, charging over from a tap penalty close to the line. Flyhalf Callum Sheedy added the conversion as the visitors took a 7-5 lead after 15 minutes.

In the 25th minute, Suleiman Hartzenberg got a deserved try, as he weaved his way past several defenders – a great way to mark his 50th appearance. This time, Willemse was on target with the conversion – 12-7 in favour of the home team.

At the half-hour mark, Cardiff was reduced to 14 men when prop Danny Southworth was red-carded for a high tackle on Neethling Fouche.

Zas scored next, a kick by Willemse which he chased down for a brilliant individual score. Willemse added the conversion for a 19-7 lead after 34 minutes.

Cardiff replied with a try by left wing Gabe Hamer-Webb, from a sublime cross-field kick by flyhalf Callum Sheedy. Sheedy’s conversion attempt was disallowed, as his time ran out, which resulted in a vigorous debate with the referee about the absence of a shot clock in the stadium.

That allowed the Stormers to take a 19-12 lead into the half-time break.

The more we celebrate the more we celebrate. #STOvCAR #iamastormer @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/PJeQ96IzZS

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) May 16, 2025

Hartzenberg got his second try six minutes into the second half, a sublime cross-field kick by Manie Libbok. Willemse was wide of the mark with his conversion attempt – 24-12 and a bonus point secured.

Cardiff again replied with a great backline try – Harri Millard going over after a weaving run by Gabe Hamer-Webb created the space on the right wing.

In the same movement, Damian Willemse was red-carded, also for a shoulder charge to the head of Hamer-Webb after his offload to Millard, leaving both teams short a man.

The game was ended as a contest when replacement Connor Evans scored in the 72nd minute – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu chasing and collecting his kick and offloading to the loose forward. Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the conversion for a 14-point (31-17) lead,

Again Cardiff replied with a try, this time by replacement hooker Dafydd Hughes after a line-out deep in the Stormers 22. Sheedy added the conversion – 24-31 and the chance of bagging at least two points.

With time up on the clock, the Stormers were awarded a penalty and Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotted it from 40 metres out to make it a 10-point lead at full-time.

That left the visitors with just one point, a four-try bonus point.

Man of the match: The double-barrel playmaking abilities of the Stormers duo, Damian Willemse and Manie Libbok, were thoroughly entertaining. Later, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu put on display his bag of tricks after replacing Libbok. Most impressive were Stormers wings Suleiman Hartzenberg and Leolin Zas, both scoring two tries. My vote goes to right wing Suleiman Hartzenberg – not just for his two tries, but his 16 carries produced 120-odd metres, to go with a linebreak and a try assist.

The scorers

For the Stormers
Tries: Zas 2, Hartzenberg 2, Evans
Cons: Willemse 2, Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu

For Cardiff
Tries: Southworth, Hamer-Webb, Millard, Hughes
Cons: Sheedy 2

Red cards: Danny Southworth (Cardiff, 29 – foul play, high tackle), Damian Willemse (Stormers, 58 – foul play, high tackle)

Teams:

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Louw Nel, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Paul de Villiers, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Ben Loader.

Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Harri Millard, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Gabe Hamer-Webb, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Alex Mann, 6 Alun Lawrence, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Josh McNally (captain), 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Danny Southworth
Replacements: 16 Dafydd Hughes, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 James Botham, 21 Dan Thomas, 22 Johan Mulder, 23 Rory Jennings

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (South Africa), Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa)
TMO: Andrea Piardi (Italy)

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