Stormers beat Connacht in United Rugby Championship opener in Galway

Connacht lost to the Stormers at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on opening night of the United Rugby Championship after the South African side overran them in the second half. The visitors left with the points following a strong finish to the match.

The Stormers began the game brightly and Connacht were put under early pressure, with Ruhan Nel almost scoring inside six minutes before Mack Hansen made a last-ditch tackle to prevent the opening try. Jurie Matthee opened the scoring with a penalty before Warrick Gelant crossed for the first try after chasing a well-weighted kick; Matthee converted. Connacht pushed late in the first half and Hansen, on his comeback after a long spell sidelined with a foot injury, grounded to reduce the deficit. Josh Ioane then finished a sweeping move following a turnover from Eoin de Buitlear, sending the hosts into the interval with the lead.

The second half began with another tense moment when Sam Gilbert stopped Seabelo Senatla by getting his body under Senatla’s attempted score to hold him up. As the half progressed, the Stormers grew more into the contest and produced sustained pressure through multi-phase play. That pressure resulted in Sazi Sandi scoring after a prolonged attack, leaving the visitors two points ahead with 25 minutes remaining.

Connacht showed signs of fatigue as the game entered its closing stages and the Stormers capitalised with two late tries. Vernon Paulo crossed and Ezekiel Ngobeni added a further score, and Yaqeen Ahmed converted to put seven points between the teams at the final whistle. The late scores ensured the Stormers secured the win in Galway.

Scoring summary — Connacht: Tries: Hansen, Ioane. Cons: Gilbert. Pens: Gilbert. Stormers: Tries: Gelant, Sandi, Paulo, Ngobeni. Cons: Matthee 2, Ahmed. Pens: Matthee.

Connacht: Gilbert; Treacy, Hansen; Devine, Forde; Ioane, B Murphy; van Wyk, de Buitlear, Bealham; Murray, J Murphy; O'Brien, Boyle, Hurley-Langton. Replacements: Victory, Duggan, Barrett, O'Connor, Flynn, Blade, Naughton, Bolton.

Stormers: Gerlant; Zas, Senatia; R Nel, Roche; Matthee, Warner; Matongo, Venter, Fouche; Porter, Schickerling; L Nel, Dayimani, Norton. Replacements: Paulo, Reid, Sandi, Evans, Smith, Simelane, Ngobeni, Ahmed.

The points left with the South Africans after the first game of the new United Rugby Championship season.