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Connacht vs Stormers · United Rugby Championship

United Rugby Championship · 2026-27Full time
Connacht
15–29
Stormers

Timeline

  1. Kick-off
  2. 8'0–3
    PenaltyJurie Matthee
    Stormers
  3. 19'0–8
    TryWarrick Gelant
    Stormers
  4. 20'0–10
    ConversionJurie Matthee
    Stormers
  5. TryMack Hansen
    37'5–10
    Connacht
  6. ConversionSamuel Gilbert
    38'7–10
    Connacht
  7. TryJosh Ioane
    41'12–10
    Connacht
  8. Half-time
  9. 46'
    SubstitutionSazi Sandi on for Neethling Fouche
    Stormers
  10. 46'
    SubstitutionConnor Evans on for JD Schickerling
    Stormers
  11. 46'
    SubstitutionAdre Smith on for Gary Porter
    Stormers
  12. 46'
    SubstitutionOliver Reid on for Vernon Matongo
    Stormers
  13. SubstitutionCaolin Blade on for Ben Murphy
    47'
    Connacht
  14. PenaltySamuel Gilbert
    51'15–10
    Connacht
  15. Yellow cardPaul Boyle
    53'
    Connacht
  16. SubstitutionMatthew Victory on for Eoin de Buitlear
    55'
    Connacht
  17. SubstitutionDavid O'Connor on for Josh Murphy
    55'
    Connacht
  18. SubstitutionJordan Duggan on for Francois van Wyk
    55'
    Connacht
  19. SubstitutionFiachna Barrett on for Finlay Bealham
    55'
    Connacht
  20. 56'15–15
    TrySazi Sandi
    Stormers
  21. 57'15–17
    ConversionJurie Matthee
    Stormers
  22. 63'
    SubstitutionYaqeen Ahmed on for Jurie Matthee
    Stormers
  23. SubstitutionShayne Bolton on for Finn Treacy
    65'
    Connacht
  24. SubstitutionMax Flynn on for Shamus Hurley Langton
    65'
    Connacht
  25. SubstitutionSean Naughton on for John Devine
    71'
    Connacht
  26. 71'
    SubstitutionWandi Simelane on for Warrick Gelant
    Stormers
  27. 73'
    SubstitutionEzekiel Ngobeni on for Andre Warner
    Stormers
  28. 74'
    SubstitutionVernon Paulo on for Louw Nel
    Stormers
  29. 77'15–22
    TryVernon Paulo
    Stormers
  30. 79'15–27
    TryEzekiel Ngobeni
    Stormers
  31. 80'15–29
    ConversionYaqeen Ahmed
    Stormers

Team stats

ConnachtStormers
39%Possession61%
41%Territory59%
2Tries4
111Carries180
284Metres carried591
2Clean breaks7
14Defenders beaten26
3Offloads11
172Passes202
243Tackles158
26Missed tackles14
83%Tackle success85%
4Turnovers won3
11Penalties conceded8
3/4Scrums won9/12
10/10Lineouts won13/14
10Kicks from hand19

Match report

Stormers opened their United Rugby Championship campaign with a commanding 29-15 victory over Connacht at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on Friday evening. The South African side dominated throughout to claim their sixth win in seven meetings between the teams, condemning the hosts to defeat on the opening night of the new season.

Connacht, who finished second in last season's standings with 45 points from 16 matches, were unable to build on that form as Stormers controlled proceedings under referee Sam Grove-White. The visitors avenged their 33-24 defeat in Cape Town last April, reasserting their superiority in a fixture they have now won five times in total.

Written by AI from the official match data.

Head to head

2
Connacht wins (29%)
0
Draws (0%)
5
Stormers wins (71%)

Last 7 meetings, since February 2022

Biggest Connacht win
33–24
18 Apr 2026
Biggest Stormers win
38–15
24 Sept 2022

Last 5 meetings

  • 25 Sept 2026Connacht15–29Stormers
  • 18 Apr 2026Stormers24–33Connacht
  • 19 Apr 2025Stormers34–29Connacht
  • 18 May 2024Connacht12–16Stormers
  • 13 May 2023Stormers43–25Connacht

Lineups

Avg. age
27.6
Avg. age
28.4

Connacht

  1. 1Francois van Wyk(35)
  2. 2Eoin de Buitlear(25)
  3. 3Finlay Bealham(35)
  4. 4Niall Murray(27)
  5. 5Josh Murphy(31)
  6. 6Sean O'Brien(26)
  7. 7Shamus Hurley Langton(26)
  8. 8Paul Boyle(29)
  9. 9Ben Murphy(25)
  10. 10Josh Ioane(31)
  11. 11Finn Treacy(22)
  12. 12Cathal Forde(25)
  13. 13John Devine(22)
  14. 14Mack Hansen(28)
  15. 15Samuel Gilbert(27)
Replacements
  1. 16Matthew Victory(23)
  2. 17Jordan Duggan(28)
  3. 18Fiachna Barrett(22)
  4. 19David O'Connor(31)
  5. 20Max Flynn(21)
  6. 21Caolin Blade(32)
  7. 22Sean Naughton(22)
  8. 23Shayne Bolton(26)

Stormers

  1. 1Vernon Matongo(24)
  2. 2Andre-Hugo Venter(25)
  3. 3Neethling Fouche(33)
  4. 4Gary Porter(30)
  5. 5JD Schickerling(31)
  6. 6Louw Nel(24)
  7. 7Riley Norton(20)
  8. 8Hacjivah Graham Dayimani(29)
  9. 9Andre Warner(33)
  10. 10Jurie Matthee(25)
  11. 11Leolin Zas(30)
  12. 12Jonathan Roche(23)
  13. 13Ruhan Nel(35)
  14. 14Seabelo Senatla(33)
  15. 15Warrick Gelant(31)
Replacements
  1. 16Vernon Paulo(25)
  2. 17Oliver Reid(20)
  3. 18Sazi Sandi(28)
  4. 19Connor Evans(24)
  5. 20Adre Smith(29)
  6. 21Wandi Simelane(28)
  7. 22Ezekiel Ngobeni(22)
  8. 23Yaqeen Ahmed(20)