Springbok Manie Libbok hooks late match-winner as La Rochelle down injury-ravaged Stormers
Stormers fly-half Manie Libbok before taking a place kick against the Bulls.
A last-ditch missed conversion from Manie Libbok denied the Stormers a famous win over La Rochelle as the Investec Champions Cup holders held on for a 22-21 victory.
The Stormers crossed in the final minute through Suleiman Hartzenberg out wide, which led to Springbok Libbok lining up the extra two points that would seal the win.
But the playmaker was unsuccessful off the kicking tee as the French side survived an almighty scare in Cape Town to seal their passage to next weekend’s quarter-finals.
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The Stormers had enjoyed a solid opening period as they went in 13-0 to the good thanks to two Libbok penalties and a try from scrum-half Herschel Jantjies on 27 minutes.
However, the hosts’ buffer was soured somewhat after they lost both their starting flankers, Deon Fourie and Ben Jason Dixon, to injury in the opening stanza in a setback.
Libbok further extended the Stormers’ lead shortly after the break with a third penalty goal, with La Rochelle desperately needing to score next in the round of 16 fixture.
Crucially they did when, following a sustained period of pressure on the Capetonians’ line, loosehead prop Louis Penverne powered his way over from close range for 16-7.
The margin was further reduced on 55 minutes when fly-half Antoine Hastoy sent over a straightforward penalty goal, as the Stormers were beginning to come under fire.
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Compounding the home side’s struggles was the sight of in-form Hacjivah Dayimani becoming their third back-row casualty of the afternoon when he was stretchered off.
La Rochelle were now turning the screw, and soon after Stormers back-row Marcel Theunissen was shown a yellow card, the visitors crashed over through Gregory Alldritt. Hastoy’s simple conversion nudged the French giants into the lead for the first time in the meeting, with the momentum all with the reigning European champions.
The Stormers thought they had hit back in style when Damian Willemse went over the whitewash, however, play was called back for a knock-on at an earlier ruck. That proved to be a costly error as La Rochelle went down the other end of the field and once again their pack provided, replacement prop Joel Scalvi scoring a crucial try.
It was now win or bust for the Stormers in terms of their knockout hopes, and on 76 minutes, they worked their way into the La Rochelle 22 and had a scrum five out. After a couple of chances, Libbok put boot to ball and found Hartzenberg on the right for the score that made it 22-21, but he couldn’t convert as La Rochelle prevailed.
The teams
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Brok Harris
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Hacjivah Dayimani, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Ben Loader
La Rochelle: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Ulupano Seuteni, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Antoine Hastoy, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Grégory Alldritt (c), 7 Levani Botia, 6 Judicaël Cancoriet, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Tolu Latu, 1 Louis Penverne
Replacements: 16 Quentin Lespiaucq, 17 Alexandre Kaddouri, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Thomas Lavault, 20 Paul Boudehent, 21 Yoan Tanga, 22 Teddy Iribaren, 23 Ihaia West
Referee: Matthew Carley (ENG)
Assistant Referees: Hamish Smales (ENG), John Meredith (ENG)
TMO: Ian Tempest (ENG)
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