URC result: Stormers throw away game as Cardiff strike late to win

The Stormers threw away a great chance to finish their European tour on a high as an error strewn finish allowed Cardiff to hit them with a try after the fulltime hooter to steal a 31-24 win in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Cardiff Arms Park in Wales on Friday night.

The Cape side was the better team overall on the night, but despite taking a good early lead they allowed Cardiff to stay in the match and then imploded in the final 15 minutes to allow them to sneak the result.

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In the match the Stormers got off to a flying start as they absolutely dominated the opening 13 minutes of the game to cruise into a 14-0 lead.

Thanks to their forward dominance early penalties went straight into the corner, with hooker Andre-Hugo Venter breaking off the back of a lineout maul to drive over and score, with inside centre Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu adding the conversion.

Another lineout maul then led to the second converted try as it got close before being stopped, with the recycled ball then finding outside centre Ruhan Nel to hand off a player power over.

Found their feet

But Cardiff finally found their feet and hit back in style in the 23^rd minute as former Pumas flyhalf Tinus de Beer made a stunning break from his own half and put through a superb grubber for replacement back Gabriel Hamer-Webb to chase and dot down to make it 14-7.

A Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty in the 27^th minute pushed the Stormers more than a converted score ahead, but Cardiff made sure they would head into the break on the visitors heels.

In the 33^rd minute the hosts attacked from a lineout, getting close to the line where hooker Liam Belcher picked up and was driven over to score, with De Beer slotting the conversion to reduce the deficit to three points at halftime.

The second half saw the Stormers again get off to a good start as they attacked from a lineout in the Cardiff 22m, with the ball spreading to replacement back Warrick Gelant to perfectly delay his pass to Nel to go in for his second, converted by Feinberg-Mngomezulu to put them ahead 24-14.

Cardiff however hit straight back three minutes later as from a lineout on the Stormers 22m they pulled a training ground move, with winger Mason Grady looping around and hitting a gap to go over for the converted try, followed by a 63^rd minute De Beer penalty to level the scores at 24-all.

Stunning implosion

The Stormers practically imploded over the final 15 minutes as despite having numerous opportunities they made a multitude of mistakes and handling errors to botch them.

That included a 75^th minute penalty from range in front of the poles, with them choosing to go to the corner, only to miss touch allowing Cardiff to clear.

A 76^th minute yellow card to Stormers replacement forward Connor Evans for a dangerous clean out gave Cardiff the chance to take the lead from distance and at an angle, but inside centre Ben Thomas pulled his penalty attempt.

But there was still time for the hosts to clinch the win as replacement back Clayton Blommetjies knocked on deep in his own 22m with 30 seconds remaining.

From the resultant scrum Cardiff bashed away at the line until replacement prop Rhys Litterick to crash over to give them the lead for the first time in the match and a famous come from behind win.

Scorers

Cardiff: Tries – Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Liam Belcher, Mason Grady, Rhys Litterick; Conversions – Tinus de Beer (4); Penalty – De Beer

Stormers: Tries – Andre-Hugo Venter, Ruhan Nel (2); Conversions – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3); Penalty – Feinberg-Mngomezulu