Stormers XXIII denied at the death by Cheetahs

A late try saw the DHL Stormers XXIII go down 31-26 in their Carling Currie Cup clash with the Toyota Cheetahs at Athlone Stadium on Sunday.

The home side finished with two bonus points as they were denied in dramatic fashion in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

The hosts made a strong start and were held up over the line twice before scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer finally got one down to take the lead.

The Cheetahs hit back with a try from wing Prince Nkabinde and used their set-piece to get a foothold in the game.

The Stormers XXIII showed good defensive discipline and managed to score a second try on the stroke of half-time, with hooker Vernon Paulo powering over to make it 14-5 at the break.

The Free State side struck first in the second half but the Stormers XXIII restored the nine-point advantage when replacement Wandi Mlaba crossed from close range.

It was back to a two-point game when right wing Michael Annies scored for the visitors with 10 minutes left to play.

There was late drama as the Stormers XXIII drew level as Mlaba scored a second, before the visitors struck the final blow after the hooter to claim the win.