Stormers 23

Ulster 20

Jon Cardinelli reports from Cape Town Stadium

THE INAUGURAL MATCH between the Stormers and Ulster culminated in dramatic fashion when the visitors were denied a try in the 79th minute.

Replacement prop Callum Reid looked to have placed the ball on the try-line before replay footage showed that Stormers flanker Hacjivah Dayimani knocked the ball from his hands.

While there was some debate as to whether Ulster had actually lost the ball forward, the officials — following two lengthy reviews — eventually disallowed the try and awarded the Stormers a scrum, much to the delight of the partisan Cape Town Stadium crowd.

After losing to Munster and Connacht in the early stages of the United Rugby Championship, the Stormers have bounced back to claim an inaugural win against Irish opposition.

Ulster fought back valiantly to claim a losing bonus point. Many felt that the conditions would impact on their performance in the latter stages. In the end, it was a poor start rather than a poor finish that cost them victory.

The game marked a homecoming of sorts for Duane Vermeulen, who represented the Cape Town-based franchise between 2009 and 2015 before opting to further his career overseas. Earlier in the week, the 61-Test veteran called on his Ulster teammates to match the physicality and intensity of an ambitious Stormers team.

Furthermore, the Ulster number eight highlighted the magnitude of a late-summer challenge in South Africa. By kick-off at 3pm on Saturday, the temperature was still a balmy 25 degrees Celsius.

Despite Vermeulen’s warnings, Ulster made a ponderous start. The forwards were shoved off the ball, and the backs were often caught behind the gainline. In failing to win the collisions, they failed to control the tempo of the contest.

The Stormers hammered into the collisions and then recycled the ball for their dangerous outside backs to strike. The hosts punched holes through the Ulster defence and finished to secure a 14-0 lead inside seven minutes.

Bloodied but not beaten, the Ulster forwards launched a sustained assault on the Stormers’ try-line. Their determination was eventually rewarded when tighthead Marty Moore crashed over from close range.

The visitors began to find their groove at the set pieces and at the breakdowns. On the back of a solid forward showing, they launched a series of contestable kicks. These tactics kept the Stormers in check.

Ulster’s discipline, however, cost them at key moments. Just as they were clawing their way back into the game, they conceded a penalty in front of their own posts. Stormers flyhalf Manie Libbok slotted the kick to extend the hosts’ lead to 10 points.

John Cooney kicked two penalties to reduce the deficit thereafter. Another transgression by Ulster, though, allowed Libbok to kick another penalty, and to steer his side to a 20-13 lead at the break.

There was a potentially game-changing incident in the 52-minute when Seabelo Senatla launched himself at Mike Lowry, just as the Ulster fullback was ducking. Referee Gianluca Gnecchi, however, felt that Senatla had made a clear attempt to tackle low before Lowry ducked.

Ulster continued to pressure the Stormers. The breakthrough eventually came through Stuart McCloskey in the 57th minute, and Cooney’s conversion reduced the deficit to three points.

The small yet vocal crowd got behind the Stormers in the closing stages. Following the disallowed try, the hosts hung on for an important win, but could not stop the Irish side from claiming a losing bonus point.

Stormers scorers:

Tries: Paul de Wet, Leolin Zas

Conversions: Manie Libbok (2/2)

Penalties: Libbok (3/3)

Ulster scorers:

Tries: Marty Moore, Stuart McCloskey

Conversions: John Cooney (2/2)

Penalties: John Cooney (2/2)

STORMERS: Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel, Damian Willemse (Rikus Pretorius ’71), Leolin Zas, Manie Libbok, Paul de Wet (Herschel Jantjies ’60); Steven Kitshoff (Brok Harris,’64), Chad Solomon (JJ Kotze ’60), Frans Malherbe (Neethling Fouché ’40), Adre Smith, Marvin Orie, Deon Fourie (Junior Pokomela ’60), Ernst van Rhyn (Hacjivah Dayimani ’55), Evan Roos.

ULSTER: Mike Lowry, Craig Gilroy (Ethan McIlroy ’51), Stewart Moore (Luke Marshall ‘65), Stuart McCloskey, Rob Lyttle, Billy Burns, John Cooney (David Shanahan ’76); Eric O’Sullivan (Callum Reid ’56), Rob Herring (Tom Stewart ’70), Marty Moore (Gareth Milasinovich ’56), Alan O’Connor (captain), Kieran Treadwell (Mick Kearney ’77), Greg Jones (Jordi Murphy ’19), Marcus Rea, Duane Vermeulen.

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi [FIR]