FULL-TIME, STORMERS 43-25 CONNACHT. Superb performance from the Stormers after that early wake-up call. Brilliant running rugby and some scintillating passes for a side that truly deserves the chance to defend their title after a great season. Hats off to Connacht as well as never giving up and continuing to put pressure on the Stormers whenever they could. Stormers are in the final… and the big question is, will it be home or away? That match is going to start in a short while, but thanks for sharing the breakneck action with us here at the Cape Town Stadium… and enjoy the rest of your sporting weekend!

CONVERSION, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 43-25; Lovely final kick from the right from Libbok, and that's the ball-game - the ref has blown for full-time!

TRY, STORMERS, NEL! 41-25; Magical try from the Stormers to round off the semi-final… Dayimani forced into the touchline, but before he's tackled he flicks a pass with his right hand behind his back… and it floats perfectly in the hands of Nel, sprinting flat out in support, who collects the ball and charges over for the try, and the Stormers fans have gone made, the Stormers have gone mad, and it looks like John Dobson might have cracked a smile… not too much pressure inside the stadium, but he's sure to celebrate in a short while with his side.

Libbok can't make his conversion from the sideline.

TRY, STORMERS, THEUNISSEN! 36-25; Lovely play from the Stormers send sub Theunissen over for a try that must seal it for the home side!

Daly can't make the conversion from the touchline, the later swerve on the kitchen highlighting the wind factor.

TRY, CONNACHT, RALSTON! 31-25; Connacht make it really interesting, running the line and feeding Ralston, who is surprisingly open on the right wing… he collects and sprints forward before dotting down with care. Game STILL on!

The Cape Town Stadium falls silent…

Kitshoff is blown for off-side and the Irish have a penalty which they kick into touch… but the Stormers poach the ball and drive upfield, and the home crown notice and respond with appropriate volume.

Farrell tries to burst through the Stormers line, he's tackled but gets to his feet… ai man, you can't do that. Ref confirms with a smile as he blows the whistle for a Stormers free-kick… Libbok indicates he is going for poles… eat up some time… but he pulls his kick. A glimmer of hope now for the Irish.

Stormers laying the pressure on thick, forcing the visitors to take chances.

CONVERSION, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 31-20; Libbok makes no mistake as the Stormers surge into an 11-point lead with 14 minutes. Once again, a team-mate is there to tee the ball up… cannot afford to lose a kicking opportunity in a semi-final of this stature.

TRY, STORMERS, DE WET! 29-20; Great counter-attack from the Stormers who run the ball wide, Zas breaks inside to suck in the defenders, then feeds De Wet who crosses the 22 en route to dotting down under the poles. Coach Dobson rolls his eyes, hands clutched together in prayer and he gazes up to the heavens.

Connacht now with the bulk of the ball and looking strong… and they bring on four pairs of fresh legs as they push for the berth in the final.

Penalty for Stormers after Willemse was smashed into late. Connacht win the ball back and Willemse returns the compliment, bashing into Farrell as he collected a high ball. No real malice in either attempt - both times the tackler simply being unable to bail out of the challenge.

CONVERSION, CONNACHT, CARTY! 24-20; Carty slots the kick from the right through the centre of the poles, this time with a team-mate keeping a finger on top of the ball to prevent it lolling over in the wind. This is now a semi-final for either side (and their fans) to win!

TRY, CONNACHT, HURLEY-LANGTON! 24-18; Connacht can be repelled for only for long, and the visitors touch for the five pointer, which the TMO rubber-stamps. Superb pressure.

Connacht win their ball and run the line, the Stormers soaking the advances up, but Connacht keep pressing…

Connacht unable to get the scrum to work and the clock keeps tic-tocking down… one more and it's a penalty, warns the ref.

Stormers repel the Irish wave, but the visitors are awarded a scum 15 metres short of the home tryline.

Connacht push forward to the Stormers 22 but are pressed back again, but the Stormers are penalised in front of the posts. Carty kicks to near the Stormers five meter and the game is alive…

Connacht run the ball down the left touchline, but they are outnumbered by Stormers who press them back.

Connacht with a lineout, they run the ball then the forwards press… out to Carty who lofts forward for his team-mates, but they can't claim the ball back and the ref takes play back for a Connacht scrum.

… and we do officially have a Mexican wave sweeping through the home crowd…

From the lineout Connachy drive forward and Carty launches a low kick forward, but it hits the right points of the ball and rolls and rolls out of play, so the Stormers have the scrum at the Connacht 10-metre.

GREAT PLAY! Connacht with some great running rugby, but the Stormers hit back and power through the Irish with so much more control and pace… they look like they're going to burst through for the try, but the ref has blown for a forward pass… the TMO converts that to a penalty for obstruction, which Carty clears to the halfway line.

Connacht with some good work among the forwards and back as they try to drive forward at the Stormers, but they are pushed back if anything… Connacht kick but the Stormers send a grubber back which Blade collects… but his kick from just outside his 22 is out directly, and Stormers have the throw in an attacking poistion.

KICK-OFF! We're underway here with the second-half of a crucial URC semi-final… and there's a scuffle right from the start, the Irish dealing heavily with a Stormers forward but another Stormer crunches through late and is penalised. The ref gets the handbags cleared and Connacht have a penalty that they kick to touch.

HALF-TIME, STORMERS 24-13 CONNACHT! What a first half of rugby. Connacht came out all guns blazing to storm into the lead, but once the home side had gathered their wits they hit back hard with three super tries. Stormers are looking super fine now, even though the visitors hit back with a late try. The fluffed conversion from Connacht was unlucky (but sharp from the Stormers)… and the visitors might need to copy the home side by having conversions held up by a team-mate, a la the good old days. Stormers looking set to seal the deal here, but let's see what Connacht have to say about that!

DISASTER FOR CONNACHT! As Carty took the first few paces to knock over his conversion from just to the left of the posts, the swirling wind inside the stadium tipped the ball off the tee… Carty made as if to nonchalantly walk to the ball to replace it, but Angelo Davids was wise to the laws (prompted by a member of the Stormers backroom staff) and he rushed over to grab the ball from Carty, a la a charge down. The ref shrugged… you started your run, that's the rule. Two points saved that could make a big, big difference later this afternoon! The ref blows for half-time.

TRY, CONNACHT, OLIVER! 24-13; GREAT PLAY from Farrell, who breaks the Stormers line and drives downfield, support from from green jerseys and they press forward, Oliver forcing the ball over for the score.

Stormers win the put in for a scrum just inside the Connacht 22… they run the ball but the final pass out to the wing is forward, so Connacht will have a chance to feel rugby leather again (metaphorically speaking, of course).

Stormers push up again, Connacht forced to soak it up and soak it up.

CONVERSION, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 24-8; A good kick from the left slices through the middle of the poles.

TRY, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 22-8; Another brilliant piece of running rugby from the Stormers sees Libbok able to negotiate the final hurdle to dot down about 15 metres in from touch. It's a Stormers avalanche now!

Good play from the Stormers, all the pressure suddenly on Connacht.

CONVERSION, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 17-8; Libbok again not troubled as he slams the conversion over from right under the poles. The home fans are full of smiles, cheers, advice for the Connacht players and even an attempt at the Mexican Wave. Smashing to see!

TRY, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 15-8; OK, perhaps Coach Dobson might crack as smile now… Libbok with a driving kick forward, the Stormers backline string some quick and clinical passes together, Libbok is following up, gets the pass and slices through to dot down under the poles. Could this be the opening of the floodgates for the defending champions?

PENALTY, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 10-8; Libbok has no interest in missing those in a URC semi-final, and the Stormers have the lead, but up on high in the coaching cubicle coach Dobson shows no signs of a smile. Stormers might be in for a stormy half-time 'chat'!

Silly mistake from Connacht, pushing off-side to chase a kick-forward, and that gifts the Stormers a kick in front of poles just past the 22…

Lovely backline play from the Stormers, with skipper Kitshoff joining the line to help back through at least one Irish defender… but the passing becomes increasingly difficult, and the Stormers knock-on and the Irish have the ball.

Both sides doing well to run the line, taking it in turns, but both defences are strong and resist the opposition.

CONVERSION, STORMERS, LIBBOK! 7-8; Super conversion from Libbok to draw close to the visitors. Nice, roar the Stormers fans!

TRY, STORMERS, DAVIDS! 5-8. The Stormers hit back quickly, and that's just the tonic for the home side's supporters who were starting to turn a darker shade of green after the run of play going against their boys. Libbok did well to send a cross-kick out wide to Davids, perfectly executed to the winger who claimed the ball an dashed through to complete the score near the touchline. Stunning try!

Carty is wide with his conversion attempt from… out wide. Eight points clear ain't too bad at at this stage tho.

TRY, CONNACHT, HANSEN! 8-0; Incredible start from the Irish. Carty set it up with a wide pass out to Hansen who did good work to crash over the tryline. Brilliant play.

Prendergast with a clever run from the back of his pack but the Stormers hold him up… but Connacht can smell the tryline from just five metres out.

Stormers again all over the place, Connacht running rampant. What's happened to the Stormers?

GREAT PLAY! Connacht with some heacy pressure on the Stormers, Murray with a kick and chase over the try line. Herschel Jantjies is forced to race back, gather and touch down. The home side under huge pressure - great start from the Irish.

Both sides playing a bit scrappily now, with some poor handling and decision making. The soft surface perhaps playing tricks on body and mind.

PENALTY, CONNACHT, CARTY! 0-3; Connacht open the scoring with a easy kick from in front of the poles for Carty. Game on!

The visitors are out the gates quickly looking to make an impression, and they force Stormers hooker Dweba into error by knocking-on.

KICK-OFF! We're underway here with the first URC semi-final here from Cape Town Stadium! It's the Stormers up against the Irish of Connacht!

Our referee for this clash is Mike Adamson, and he will be assisted by Sam Grove-White (Scotland) and Hollie Davidson. Our TMO is Ben Blain… and all four officials hail from Scotland.

Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 John Porch, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Cian Prendergast, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 5 Niall Murray, 4 Josh Murphy, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley. Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Jordan Duggan, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Tom Daly 23 Byron Ralston.

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.

Connacht have never played at the Cape Town Stadium, although they might find comfort in the pitch as recent heavy rains have made preparation tricky, with the result that the going might be heavy and slippery underfoot. Conditions with which the average Irish lad is not too unfamiliar.

The Stormers got their revenge this season in Round 2 at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, when they ran in four tries to two over Connacht for a 38-15 win.

Last season Connacht squeaked home 19-17 over the Stormers in front of under 3,500 fans at the Galway Sportsgrounds in Ireland, both sides dotting down for three tries in the first ever meeting between the Irish and South African outfits.

The Stormers will be aware of the intensity and physicality that Ulster will bring to the Cape Town Stadium. The home side will be missing two Springboks from their lineup –Deon Fourie and Marvin Orie – but will nonetheless start the match as favourites.

The Cape Town Stadium has become something of a fortress for the Stormers, who have suffered just two home losses in 22 games at home over the course of the past two seasons.

Connacht won 10 of their 18 matches, losing the remaining 8 matches. They scored 456 points to 426, dotting down 64 tries but conceding 58.

Connacht finished in 7th place on the URC table with 50 points. The Bulls (53 points) pipped them to 6th place, while Connacht finished two points above 8th-placed Sharks.

The Stormers won 12 of their 18 matches, drew two and lost four. They scored 531 points and conceded 391, with 69 tries for and 48 against.

Today's visitors are Irish side Connacht, who finished 7th on the URC table yet did the dirty on their countrymen from Ulster, who finished 2nd on the table. The lads from Connacht led for most of the match in their quart-final clash last week, nailing a 75th minute penalty as the final score of the match to claim a 10-15 away win.

Defending champs the Stormers beat the Bulls 18-13 in last year's final, played at the Cape Town Stadium… and the two met again at the Cape Town Stadium last week in the quarter-final. Third-placed Stormers hosted 6th-placed Bulls… and the home side ran out 33-21 winners to claim a semi-final spot.

Leading up to this semi-final clash, Stormers head coach John Dobson was bullish, revealing that his team (who have enjoyed a superb season so far) are indeed “fired up” and ready to maximise the benefit of home-ground advantage as they seek to claim a spot in the final that will enable them to defend the title they won last season.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the United Rugby Championship semi-final between the Stormers and Connacht… and we're bringing it to you live from a sunny but slightly windy Cape Town Stadium in just a couple of hours.