By Gavin Rich.
DHL Stormers flyhalf Manie Libbok put a nightmare performance behind him to produce the pass that set up the equalising try and then he kicked the angled conversion that secured the DHL Stormers a 17-15 last-gasp win over Ulster in Saturday’s pulsating Vodacom United Rugby Championship semifinal at DHL Stadium.
For a long time, it looked like the visiting team’s better game management was going to win it for them. And had they gone through to clinch it and the final move of the game didn’t happen, there might have been many Cape fans who would have blamed Libbok for what appeared to be a bit of a high-pressure knockout game choke.
However, when it mattered most, he showed that he does indeed have impeccable temperament as off a scrum in the middle of the field, he sent out the pass that sent Warrick Gelant in near the left corner. And then, amidst scenes of unbearable tension and with the prospect of extra-time looming if he missed, he kicked the conversion that sent the Stormers and the well over 30 000-strong crowd into delirium and secured a home final next Saturday against the Vodacom Bulls.
More Heartbreak for Ulster
It was the second time in the space of just over a month that Ulster had endured such heartbreak, for they lost their double-legged round of 16 tie in the Champions Cup to Toulouse in similar circumstances. They will struggle to come to terms with the defeat as they should really have wrapped it up when they were bossing the middle parts of the game.
However, the Stormers, who played well in the first 20 minutes, bookended their performance with a dominant last 20 minutes. Even though replacement lock Adre Smith was red-carded with nine minutes to go for placing a hand on the face of Ulster captain Iain Henderson, with there being the potential for it to be an eye gouge attempt, the Stormers managed to camp for the last minutes on the Ulster line.
With Ulster having a one-man advantage and defending like their lives depended on it, it looked likely the Stormers might end up rueing their decisions not to kick for posts when they had kickable penalties. Then there were also Libbok’s earlier missed conversions, an ill-advised drop-goal attempt that was missed and some poor field kicking from the flyhalf.
Stormers get another learning opportunity
The Stormers certainly have a lot to learn about playoff rugby but the good thing for them is that, thanks to Libbok coming right when it mattered most, they now have a week to apply those learnings as they get a second chance at it against the Bulls in Cape Town next weekend.
The first half was a high-quality, entertaining affair and lived up to the pre-match billing. The Stormers got off to a strong start as a turnover penalty saw Libbok make a promising start with an excellent kick towards the corner flag. Off the lineout, the Stormers launched an impressive drive that carried hooker JJ Kotze over for the try.
Momentarily, it appeared that Scottish referee Mike Adamson, who frankly had an uncertain game with the whistle, was awarding a penalty try as he was running with his arm extended towards the posts. Then he appeared to change his mind and instead Libbok had a conversion attempt that he missed. Had this game ended with a narrow Stormers defeat, that moment might have been revisited, as would have the apparent forward pass that featured in the build-up to Ulster’s first try to wing Rob Baloucoune in the 19th minute.
Roos and Jantjies brilliance
Before that though, the Stormers had fashioned a brilliant second try as Hacjivah Dayimani rose to comfortably take a lineout ball and Evan Roos drove off it before passing to scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies on the touchline. Jantjies passed back inside to Roos and he surged over for the score that at that point meant a 10-0 lead because Libbok missed another conversion.
Ulster were struggling to get into the game at that point but when Baloucoune crossed for his try, they appeared to settle. The Stormers did put them under some pressure but Ulster were excellent at scrambling and getting out of difficult situations. As the game wore on, their kicking game also started to regain the authority that should have won them the league game here in March.
When fullback Stewart Moore crossed for the second Ulster try in the 28th minute off an inside pass from Baloucoune, it came all too easily for Ulster, and when scrumhalf John Cooney kicked the conversion it was Ulster’s first lead in the game. It was one they were to hold onto until after the hooter.
The Stormers did launch a prolonged multi-phase assault on the Ulster line not long after that, only for Libbok to inexplicably attempt the drop-goal that he missed. It looked like a crucial miss for the Stormers when on the stroke of halftime, they had an odd offside penalty awarded against them and Cooney kicked it to extend the visiting lead to five points. The momentum was certainly with the visitors at that point.
Ulster had several opportunities to go more than a score ahead during their dominant third quarter but were held out by the never say die Stormers. Ulster might reflect it was in that period they lost the game. Had they kicked one of their penalties at posts, they would have gone more than a score clear.
However, the Stormers eschewed penalty kicks of their own in their strong final quarter and it set up the exhilarating finish for the home fans that should see a flood of interest in tickets for next week’s all-South African final.
Scores
DHL Stormers 17 – Tries: JJ Kotze, Evan Roos and Warrick Gelant; Conversion: Manie Libbok. Ulster 15 – Tries: Rob Baloucoune and Stewart Moore; Conversion: John Cooney; Penalty: John Cooney.