Preview: Stormers vs Connacht

Preview: Stormers vs Connacht

We are down to the last four of the BKT United Rugby Championship and Connacht head to South Africa where they take on the defending champions DHL Stormers in Cape Town.


Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s game.

How have both teams got here?


Connacht finished 7th in the regular season standings. A good run of form which saw them win six of their last last seven games helped Andy Friend's side secure a place in the playoffs along with playing Champions Cup rugby for next season. It was a trip to Belfast for their quarter-final showdown as they beat second seeds Ulster 15-10. Jack Carty scoring all of Connacht's points while Shamus Hurley-Langton was the player of the match.


Defending champions Stormers finished third in the regular season standings. Stormers faced fellow South African side the Bulls the last day out in Cape Town which they won 33-21.


Connacht and Stormers recent record?

Connacht's two meetings to date against the Stormers.


  • Sto 38-15 Con - Stellenbosch
  • Con 19-17 Sto - Sportsground


How will the two teams line up?

There are two injury-enforced changes to the DHL Stormers starting line-up for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship semifinal at DHL Stadium on Saturday.

With Deon Fourie and Marvin Orie ruled out, Willie Engelbrecht will start on the flank and Ben-Jason Dixon comes in at lock for the knock-out clash with Irish side Connacht. 

There are three new faces on the replacements bench, with lock Connor Evans, flank Marcel Theunissen and utility back Jean-Luc du Plessis included for the semifinal.

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Ben-Jason Dixon, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 23 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

The Connacht management team have named an unchanged 23 for Saturday’s BKT United Rugby Championship Semi-Final.

After last week’s historic win in Belfast, Pete Wilkins & Andy Friend have stuck with the same starters and replacements after the squad came through the game without any injuries.

Jack Carty captains the side, while it’ll be a 99th appearance for Tom Farrell, and Jack Aungier will earn his 50th cap for the province if called upon from the bench.

A win for Connacht would see them reach a major final for the second time in their history, after the PRO12 success of 2016, with the decider taking place at either Aviva Stadium or Thomond Park on Saturday May 27th.

15. Tiernan O'Halloran (221)
14. John Porch (79)
13. Tom Farrell (98)
12. Bundee Aki (126)
11. Mack Hansen (27)
10. Jack Carty (194)
9. Caolin Blade (169)
1. Denis Buckley (227)
2. Dave Heffernan (181)
3. Finlay Bealham (188)
4. Josh Murphy (17)
5. Niall Murray (55)
6. Shamus Hurley-Langton (19)
7. Conor Oliver (62)
8. Cian Prendergast (46)

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (23)
17.Jordan Duggan (39)
18. Jack Aungier (49)
19. Oisín Dowling (43)
20. Jarrad Butler (113)
21. Kieran Marmion (229)
22. Tom Daly (77)
23. Byron Ralston (14)

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