Stormers XXIII to face Pumas in Currie Cup playoffs, where they must avoid mistakes

Faf de Clercq scored an incredible late goal that helped Chithis achieve a dramatic 31-26 victory over Stormers XXIII in the Currie Cup, concluding the match at Athlone Stadium on Sunday.

The Free State team maintained composure during the tense closing stages, executing over twenty phases of attack before finding a gap for De Clercq to finish. In the chaotic Currie Cup battle, marked by numerous yellow cards, Chithis had to come back from behind to deliver the final blow.

The home team, Stormers, were dissatisfied with the result. They initially scored what seemed like a winning goal thanks to free forward Vandie Mlaba, who netted the second try in the contest. However, playing with fourteen men for the last ten minutes, Chithis attacked aggressively, striving for victory to remain in contention for the top spot in the Currie Cup.

Currently, Chithis are in second place and have the same number of points as Griquas, while the defending champions hold a better points difference.

Despite the number of cards on both sides of the field, it was a spectacular encounter in front of a packed stadium. Stormers led 14-5 at halftime thanks to two tries, although the second half was not the most dynamic. They struggled in the scrums but still held enough possession early in the match.

Their momentum was broken twice, after which midfielder Stephan Ungerer scored the first try. Winger Prince Nkabinde responded for Chithis, and Stormers hooker Vernon Paulo scored shortly before halftime, restoring his team's lead. Paulo seemed to have found a way to score in the Currie Cup.

The real intensity began in the second half only in the last twenty minutes of the match. After Mlaba received a yellow card, tries from Chithis' Neels Wolschenk and the hosts Xolo Nyali provided a narrow balance before the final quarter.

Shortly after Mlaba's yellow card, the Free State team managed to close the gap by scoring another try, reducing the deficit to two points. Although Mlaba redeemed his errors by scoring the fourth try after returning from the penalty area, the last two tries secured the visitors' victory.

One of the late goals was a penalty touch after Nyali deliberately knocked down a pass, receiving a yellow card for it and forcing the Stormers to play with fourteen men for the last ten minutes. This opened up the opportunity for De Clercq to score and secure the win in Cape Town.