It was another sad day at the office for South African rugby in the United Rugby Championship, with all four teams going down at the weekend.
With the Bulls and Lions losing 34-7 to Ireland’s Connacht and 36-13 to Wales’ Scarlets on Friday, the Sharks’ 35-24 defeat to Glasgow Warriors left the Stormers with a monumental task of claiming SA’s only win of the weekend against Irish giants Munster in Saturday’s late game.
And there was some early hope, with coach John Dobson’s side sprinting out of the blocks.
Fullback Warrick Gelant sailed over in the ninth minute after a good break from flyhalf Manie Libbok, with Thomond Park being heeltemal toe-mond when a lovely break and chicken-wing pass from Ruhan Nel unleashed Leolin Zas down the left touchline before a Gelant penalty gave them a 15-0 buffer.
Jack O’Donahue then scored the first of his two tries from to make it 15-7 at the break.
And just like against Benetton the previous week when they led 18-7 to ultimately lose 22-18, the Stormers gave away their lead.
Captain Salmaan Moerat will shoulder some of the blame after he got yellow carded for a lineout infringement in the 43rd minute, allowing Munster lock Jean Kleyn to take advantage from a lineout maul almost immediately.
The hosts then had their noses in front from a lineout maul, with Niall Scannell dotting down before O’Donahue picked and dove over to make it 24-18 with the Stormers adding a penalty.
Springbok lock RG Snyman then dove over from another maul, as Munster added a last-minute penalty to make it 34-18.