Five-try DHL Stormers hold off Connacht

04/19/2025 11:57 AM

The DHL Stormers scored five tries to take a full five log points from their tense 34-29 Vodacom United Championship win against Connacht at DHL Stadium on Saturday.

It was a crucial win, which has the DHL Stormers well-placed in their play-off run with three home games remaining in the league phase of the competition.

The first half was action-packed, with both teams scoring four tries and the home side taking a slender two-point advantage into the break.

Sacha-Fainberg Mngomezulu scored a hat-trick within 25 minutes and he was the one to kick off the scoring spree as he ghosted through a gap for the opening try.

Connacht responded with a try from wing Shane Jennings to level things up, but the DHL Stormers were back in front when Even Roos broke from the base of the scrum to power over.

Flank Connor Oliver scored for the visitors to level things up again, but two more tries from Feinberg-Mngomezulu saw the DHL Stormers put some distance between them and the Irish side.

The first saw him spin out of a tackle before linking up with flank Paul de Villiers to score and it was De Villiers who sparked the hat-trick try, with his break up the left putting the hosts on the front foot and Feinberg-Mngomezulu finishing in style once again.

Jennings scored his second on the stroke of half-time and the DHL Stormers took a slender 26-24 advantage into the break.

They extended that lead early in the second half when Suleiman Hartzenberg finished in the corner after some breathtaking handling put them in position. Connacht kept fighting and after both teams were shown yellow card they hit back with a try from replacement prop Josh Murphy which brought it back to a two-point game.

A late penalty from Feinberg-Mngomezulu took the lead out to five and although there was some late drama as Connacht scored at the death, the try was disallowed due to an earlier obstruction.

The scorers:

For DHL Stormers:
Tries: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3, Roos, Hartzenberg
Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3
Pen: Fainberg-Mngomezulu

For Connacht:
Tries: Jennings 2, Oliver, Tierney-Martin, Murphy
Cons: Carty 2

DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Brok Harris, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Louw Nel, 21 Deon Fourie, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Ben Loader.

The post Five-try DHL Stormers hold off Connacht appeared first on The Stormers.