Late blitz secures another grand final for Stormers

-OHANNNESBURG ± The 4ueen song µWe are the champions’ reverberated around DHL Stadium as the final whistle blew and that the DHL Stormers will certainly be for at least the next two weeks, thanks to their 43-25 win over Connacht in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-final yesterday.

That means the Stormers had to wait until the later semi-final yesterday in Dublin between Leinster and Munster to find out who they will play, but what they do know for certain is that they are into their second successive URC final and will take their reign as champions into the decider where-ever it will be played. While an 18 point winning margin might look like a one-sided game it gives a false impression for the Stormers, although well ahead shortly before halftime, had to dig deep on a couple of occasions as the tenacious and determined visitors came back at them. And it was only a two-try burst in the last five minutes, the first one dotted down by replacement flank Marcel Theunissen and then centre Ruhan Nel, that made the game safe.

There were certainly many nerves apparent in the Stormers’ game early on as they struggled to get control of the ball in the blustery conditions and they had to fight back from an initial 8-0 deficit before running up their 24-13 halftime lead. And there were nerves again when first Shamus Hurley-Langton, in the 59th minute, and then Byron Ralston, with five minutes to go, scored tries that cut down the Stormers’advantage to less than seven points.

However, the second time it happened, the Stormers held their nerve impressively and a hoisted kick from Damian Willemse induced the mistake from which pacy loose forward HacMivah Dayimani burst through to set up the clinching score for his fellow back-row player Theunissen.