Details

Date Time Competition Season
11 June 2022 2:00 pm United Rugby Championship 2021/22

Match Report

URC: End of the road for Ulster

Ulster saw their hopes of a home final in the United Rugby Championship come to an end as the Ulstermen lost 17-15 away at the Stormers.

The visitors were on the verge of victory, but a last ditch try from Warrick Gelant and a late conversion from Manie Libbok earning the Stormers victory in what was a nail-biter at Newlands Stadium.

It was a gut-wrenching defeat for the visitors, who had defended valiantly for 80 minutes but couldn’t hold on at the death. Tiredness crept into the visitors game late into the afternoon in Cape Town, but Ulster fought bravely and repelled the hosts on two occasions late on, but Gelant’s score ended all hopes of a second league final in three seasons.

As for the visitors, they host the Bulls next weekend at the Newlands in the final. However, their win came at a price as they lost influential winger Leolin Zas to injury in the first half and saw second-row Adre Smith red-carded for an eye gouge on Iain Henderson.

Like the previous meeting between the two sides the Stormers started quickly and scored within the opening five minutes as JJ Kotze powered over from the back of a driving maul. 

It didn’t take long for John Dobson’s side to increase their advantage as Evan Roos raced in for the Stormers second of the afternoon.

However, Ulster responded emphatically as Robert Baloucoune crashed over in the corner to reduce the deficit to five. Dan McFarland’s men looked to have found their groove as they grabbed their second not long after. A great offload from Baloucoune released Stewart Moore for the team’s second of the match. John Cooney’s conversion put Ulster into their first lead of the day.

Cooney stretched out the lead further as he slotted over a penalty just before the break. Kicking appeared to be the difference in the first half as Libbok missed two conversions and a drop goal, leaving seven points on the table. 

Ulster started the second period well, but suffered a massive blow as Baloucoune exited with a hip injury and began to toil in attack. McFarland’s team wasted two driving mauls deep inside the Stormers 22 and conceded two turnovers in a prime attacking position. 

Nevertheless, all hope looked to have evaporated as Smith was red-carded for his gouge on Henderson, leaving the visitors with a numerical advantage in the final ten minutes.

However, it mattered not as the Stormers dominated possession and after several phases found the whitewash through the Racing 92 bound Gellant before Libbok iced the game with his first points of the match.

DHL Stormers

15Warrick Gelant Full-Back 80'
14Seabelo Senatla Winger
13Ruhan Nel Centre
12Damian Willemse Centre
11Leolin Zas 22 Winger
10Manie Libbok Fly-Half 80'
9Herschel Jantjies Scrum-Half
1Steven Kitshoff 17 Prop
2JJ Kotze 16 Hooker 4'
3Frans Malherbe 18 Prop
4Salmaan Moerat Lock
5Marvin Orie 19 Lock
6Deon Fourie Flanker
7Hacjivah Dayimani Flanker
8Evan Roos No. 8 13'
16Andre-Hugo Venter 2
17Brok Harris 1 Prop
18Neething Fouche 3
19Adre Smith 5 Lock 70'
20Ernst van Rhyn 22 Flanker
21Nama Xaba
22Godlen Masimla 20
23Sacha Mngomezulu Fly-Half

Ulster

15Stewart Moore Full-Back 27'
14Robert Baloucoune 23 Winger 17'
13James Hume Centre
12Stuart McCloskey Centre
11Ethan McIlroy Winger
10Billy Burns 22 Fly-Half
9John Cooney Scrum-Half 28'
40'
1Andrew Warwick 17 Prop
2Rob Herring Hooker
3Tom O’Toole 18 Prop
4Alan O’Connor 19 Lock
5Iain Henderson Lock
6Marcus Rea 20 Flanker
7Nick Timoney Flanker
8Duane Vermeulen No. 8
16John Andrew Hooker
17Eric O’Sullivan 1 Prop
18Gareth Milasinovich 3 Prop
19Kieran Treadwell 4 Lock
20Matty Rea 6 No. 8
21Nathan Doak Back
22Ian Madigan 10 Fly-Half
23Ben Moxham 14 Back

Past Meetings

(Round 14)
23 - 20
United Rugby Championship
Cape Town Stadium

DHL Stormers v Ulster

Ground

Cape Town Stadium
Cape Town Stadium, South Forecourt, Cape Town Ward 115, Cape Town, City of Cape Town, Western Cape, 8005, South Africa