URC result: Stormers wing it past Cardiff to secure fifth place
Stormers backline stars Manie Libbok and Suleiman Hartzenberg suring their URC clash against Cardiff at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The Stormers produced an entertaining attacking performance to cruise past Cardiff 34-24 in their final United Rugby Championship (URC) pool match at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night.
The result secures fifth place on the log for the Cape side and they will now wait to see who they will be traveling to for their quarterfinal encounter in a fortnights time.
It was the wings that setup the win for the Stormers, as right wing Suleiman Hartzenberg and left wing Leolin Zas scored four of their five tries, in a match that was closer than it should have been after the hosts missed a slew of chances.
Special night
For Hartzenberg it was a special night as he made his 50th Stormers appearance at just 21-years-old, dotted down twice and was named man-of-the-match after an action packed showing.
The game also saw two red cards, Cardiff loosehead prop Danny Southworth receiving his marching orders for a high shot on Neethling Fouche in the 30th minute, while Stormers fullback Damian Willemse was sent off for his own high shot in the 58th minute to even the numbers.
In the match it was a top start from the hosts as they dominated the early play, and were finally rewarded in the ninth minute when on attack in the Cardiff 22m the ball was spread wide, before being popped inside to Zas to run in his first try for a 5-0 lead.
But Cardiff hit back almost immediately, as four minutes later they found themselves in the Stormers 22m, received a penalty and took a quick tap, with Southworth crashing over and flyhalf Callum Sheedy converting to put his side ahead.
The Stormers were back ahead in the 24th minute, as they attacked in the Cardiff half, Hartzenberg received the ball outside the 22m, slid through a gap and stepped the final defender to score, with Willemse converting to make it 12-7.
Southworth was then sent for an early shower, with the Stormers capitalising four minutes later as Zas showed great skill to stay in play, grubber ahead and dot down to score, with Willemse nailing the touchline conversion.
But Cardiff made sure they were in the game at the break as with a few minutes left Sheedy sent a cross kick to left wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb to cut in and score, making it 19-12 at halftime.
Back and forth
The second half continued the back and forth encounter as the Stormers were first on the board to extend their lead, a superb cross kick from flyhalf Manie Libbok finding Hartzenberg to go in for his second in the 47th minute.
Cardiff hit back nine minutes later as a good attacking move from their backs earned right wing Harri Millard enough space to go over in the corner, with the score 24-17 after 56 minutes.
Replacement flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu effectively sealed the win in the 72nd minute as he chased his own up and under, fielded it and offloaded to rampaging replacement forward Connor Evans to charge over for a converted score.
Cardiff gave themselves a sliver of hope with four minutes left, as they kicked a penalty deep into the Stormers 22m, set up the maul and rumbled over with replacement hooker Dafydd Hughes scoring and Sheedy converting.
But Feinberg-Mngomezulu made sure they would only leave with a four try scoring bonus point as he slotted a long range 79th minute penalty to put the shine on a solid win for the hosts.
Scorers
Stormers: Tries – Leolin Zas (2), Suleiman Hartzenberg (2), Connor Evans; Conversions – Damian Willemse (2), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu; Penalty – Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Cardiff: Tries – Danny Southworth, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Harri Millard, Dafydd Hughes; Conversions – Callum Sheedy (2)
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