The DHL Stormers will have an opportunity to defend their Vodacom United Rugby Championship title after securing their second successive home final following their victory against Connacht in Cape Town and Munster’s surprise win over Leinster in Dublin in the semi-finals this weekend.
The Capetonians defeated Connacht 43-25 at the DHL Stadium in the first semi-final on Saturday to secure their spot in the Grand Final, and they earned the bragging rights for the home final hours later after Munster slotted a late drop goal to defeat their arch-rivals Leinster 16-15 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
A victory for Leinster, who topped the standings with 16 wins and one draw from their 18 league matches, would have guaranteed them a home final, but instead they were knocked out of the competition in the semi-final for the second successive time – yet again by a single point in front of their home fans.
The DHL Stormers, as the highest ranked team in the Grand Final, will host the all-important match at the DHL Stadium on Saturday, 27 May, at 18h30. Munster will travel to Cape Town with confidence after their recent victory in the Mother City, where they became only the second team to beat the 2022 champions at their home ground.
DHL Stormers through to second successive Grand Final
The DHL Stormers stayed in the race to defend their Vodacom United Rugby Championship title as they held their nerve in a gripping semi-final against Connacht for a 43-25 victory at a windy DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon.
The Capetonians scored six tries to four by the Irish visitors, with Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok contributing 23 points, as they secured the rewarding result.
The first half was a gripping contest as Connacht dominated possession and applied pressure on the DHL Stormers, but a combination of effective defence and the hosts’ ability to convert their chances into points, saw the, score three tries to two by Connacht.
Libbok made a telling contribution in the half, scoring two tries and kicking all three conversions and a penalty goal. The DHL Stormers then added three tries to a further two by the spirited Connacht outfit in a hard-fought second half, which the victory.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers 43 (24) – Tries: Angelo Davids, Manie Libbok (2), Paul de Wet, Marcel Theunissen, Ruhan Nel. Conversions: Libbok (5). Penalty goal: Libbok.
Connacht 25 (13) – Tries: Mack Hansen, Conor Oliver, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Byron Ralston. Conversion: Jack Carty. Penalty goal: Carty.
Photo by Nic Bothma/BackpagePix
