DHL Stormers book home final at DHL Stadium

A try after the hooter saw the DHL Stormers claim a dramatic 17-15 win against Ulster at DHL Stadium to set up a home Vodacom United Rugby Championship Final against the Vodacom Bulls.

Fullback Warrick Gelant went over for the only try of the second half, with the convesion from Manie Libbok sealing a dramatic win to make it 10 consecutive wins for the DHL Stormers.

A packed crowd at DHL Stadium erupted as Libbok nailed the kick to secure a home final.

The home side made the perfect start as a breakdown penalty from Damian Willemse put them in the 22 and the forwards did the rest, with hooker JJ Kotze scoring from a maul to the delight of the crowd.

They doubled that lead with another move from a line-out as Evan Roos and Herschel Jantjies combined well in a clever planned move to put the No.8 over.

Ulster were never going to roll over and they came roaring back, with a try from wing Rob Baloucoune which most in the stadium thought had come from a forward pass.

They were in the lead soon afterwards with a try from fullback Stewart Moore and took a 15-10 advantage into the half-time break as scrumhalf John Cooney kicked a penalty just before the break.

The second half was scoreless for 40 minutes and the DHL Stormers were down to 14 when lock Adre Smith was shown a red card, but there was still time for some late drama as Gelant’s try and Libbok’s conversion saw them claim victory.

The scorers:

For DHL Stormers:
Tries: Kotze, Roos, Gelant
Con: Libbok

For Ulster:
Tries: Baloucoune, Moore
Con: Cooney
Pen: Cooney

DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Nama Xaba, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 Sacha Mngomezulu.

Ulster: (15-9) Stewart Moore, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham.