A last-minute penalty try earned the Stormers a draw against Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
Ulster looked to have secured victory when replacement prop Eric O’Sullivan crashed over with five minutes remaining.
But in the 80th minute, Stormers wing Leolin Zas went for the corner and, while referee Andrea Piardi initially ruled him held up, he overturned the decision after reviewing the replays, ruling that scrumhalf Nathan Doak had made shoulder-to-head contact and awarding a penalty try, resulting in a 38-38 stalemate.
However, the three log points picked up by the Stormers were not enough to keep them top of the Vodacom URC log, with the Glasgow Warriors beating Cardiff 40-17 at Scotstoun.
Glasgow now have 60 points, with the Stormers – who travel to Cardiff next week – on 59.
Willemse suffers facial injury
The Stormers made a tough start to the match, losing centre Damian Willemse to a facial injury after just a minute before conceding an early try to Blitzbok-turned-Ulster wing Werner Kok.
But the visitors hit back immediately when a storming run from prop Ntuthuko Mchunu set up No 8 Evan Roos for his 12th Vodacom URC try of the season.
Ulster then lost captain Iain Henderson, who was yellow-carded for a croc roll on Deon Fourie after the openside flank had won a turnover. Fourie cried out in pain and hobbled off soon after, and following a bunker review Henderson’s sanction was upgraded to a 20-minute red card.
With Willemse back on the field, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu crossed for the Stormers’ second try. The flyhalf added the extras and then kicked a penalty to extend the lead to 10.
Ulster responded with a second try for Kok before being restored to 15 men, with Harry Sheridan replacing Henderson.
The hosts then hit the front for the first time when winger Zac Ward went over for a converted try to make it 21-17 at the break.
The Stormers looked to have struck early in the second half when winger Leolin Zas dotted down, but the try was ruled out for a tackle in the air.
Ulster hit back through fullback Michael Lowry at the other end in a 10-point swing.
But the visitors responded with their third try through scrumhalf Imad Khan to cut the deficit to two, before regaining the lead when Feinberg-Mngomezulu darted over for his second.
Kok then completed his hat-trick to draw Ulster level, before O’Sullivan put the hosts ahead.
But there was a final twist, as the Stormers earned a share of the spoils.
ULSTER – Tries: Werner Kok (3), Zac Ward, Michael Lowry, Eric O’Sullivan. Conversions: Jack Murphy (4).
STORMERS – Tries: Evan Roos, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Imad Khan, penalty try. Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (4). Penalty: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
