Stormers pull off great escape in Cape Town thriller to set up dream South African URC final

Cape Town Stadium

The Stormers have pulled off the greatest escape, through a last-gasp Warrick Gelant try and Manie Libbok conversion long after the full-time hooter  sounded to edge Ulster 17-15 in Saturday's United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-final. 

It was the most thrilling of spectacles in Cape Town, and when the flags were raised after Libbok's conversion sneaked in the right-hand upright, the home crowd could not control themselves. If there was a roof on this iconic sporting venue, it would have blown off into the evening sky. 

Stormers coach John Dobson had come out into the press box to watch that kick and he, too, could not contain his emotions as he jumped up and down, waving his arms into the air. 

The score was 15-10 to Ulster at half-time, and it stayed that way all the way up until Gelant finished off down the left as the Stormers, somehow, stayed alive. 

Cape Town Stadium will now host the dream all-South African final next weekend when the Stormers host the Bulls for the URC title. 

This is now a day to remember for everyone involved with the Stormers, but it was so very nearly one to forget as they delivered one of their worst home performances of the campaign.

The hosts started brightly and took a 10-0 lead after two unconverted tries by JJ Kotze and Evan Roos.

But little else went well for them after that as they slumped to a 15-10 deficit that saw them finish with 14 men as replacement forward Adre Smith was red-carded on 71 minutes. 

At that moment, the Stormers looked dead and buried. 

The home crowd provided another electric atmosphere, but they were left continuously frustrated by the calls of Scottish referee Mike Adamson, right up until the final few moments of the match. 

Those decisions will no