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United Rugby Championship

Stormers (14) 48

Tries: Simelane 2, Senatla, Ungerer, Willemse, Hartzenberg, De Wet Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3, Willemse 2 Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu

Dragons (0) 12

Dragons’ worst season was confirmed with their 16th successive loss in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Defeat by Stormers means they cannot better their previous lowest points tally in a one-division version of the competition’s 24 years.

Ironically that fate was sealed despite one of their better displays.

Few gave them a chance of victory in Cape Town even before Stormers opened the scoring after just 73 seconds.

It was a tough scoreline for Dragons after so much effort but was the least those inside the DHL Stadium had expected after Wandisile Simelane sped past Harry Wilson in the second minute.

Even the most optimistic Dragons fan must have feared the worst.

But reaching for the record books proved premature as they held out until just four minutes before half-time.

They had Stormers’ over-confidence, a yellow card and full-back Huw Anderson to thank for that.

Seabelo Senatla somersaulted over for Stormers’ second but captain Salmaan Moerat was sin binned and against seven forwards, Dragons closed the gap to 14-5 when fit again Ben Carter shoved Wainwright over from close range early in the second half.

However, the Dragons’ lineout faltered too often and eventually allowed Stefan Ungerer to cross from distance before Damian Willemse capped his 100th appearance with a try.

Soon-to-retire Dragons veteran Dan Lydiate made his 150th league appearance but it could be his last after leaving on the back of a medical buggy following a head injury.

Trailing 29-5, Dragons mustered a response and again Anderson was pivotal, snagging Simelane behind the try-line.

From the resulting scrum, Aneurin Owen thundered into the defensive line before Blacker snuck over.

But when Stormers’ passes stuck they were simply electric and they finally showed their class with three late scores to all-but secure their place in the play-offs.

Stormers: Warrick Gelant; Ben Loader, Wandisile Simelane, Damian Willemse, Seabelo Senatla; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stefan Ungerer; Vernon Matongo, Joseph Dweba, Sazi Sandi, Salmaan Moerat (capt), Ruben van Heerden, Paul de Villiers, Marcel Theunissen, Evan Roos.

Replacements: JJ Kotze, Ali Vermaak, Zachary Porthen, Connor Evans, Louw Nel, Paul de Wet, Dan du Plessis, Suleiman Hartzenberg.

Sin bin: Moerat (39)

Dragons: Huw Anderson; Harry Rees-Weldon, Harry Wilson, Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser; Angus O’Brien (co-capt), Rhodri Williams; Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman, Ben Carter (co-capt), Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Dan Lydiate, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: James Benjamin, Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Paula Latu, Joe Davies, Barny Langton-Cryer, Dane Blacker, Lloyd Evans, Ashton Hewitt.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (SARU), Hanru van Rooyen (SARU)

The Women’s Super League’s player of the season will be crowned in one of 14 awards at the inaugural Women’s Professional Game Awards on Sunday.

The winners of each award will be voted for by the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) board, the Football Writers’ Association and Football Supporters’ Association.

1. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

Moving into midfield, she has a bit of everything for Arsenal this season. She was without a doubt their most creative player, she was the player that drove them on, especially when Renee Slegers became manager. She showed her experience at times this season in terms of, when it mattered, she stepped up for her team and scored some really important goals and assisted big goals along the way.

2. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

A newcomer to the league, we were all surprised by where she was going to play. On that left side she was a constant threat for Chelsea. Every team that played against her really struggled with her forward runs but she also showed a lot of skill, a lot of physical presence, even though she is small in stature. Her creativity on the left proved why Chelsea were champions. They were very adaptable with her position and she just got used to it and got on with it.

3. Mary Fowler (Manchester City)

1. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

The Manchester United goalkeeper had big boots to fill when she took over from Mary Earps but she has taken on the responsibility in impressive fashion. With 13 clean sheets she has been crucial to their Champions League qualification campaign and is arguably one of the best WSL signings of the past two seasons. She has shown leadership, confidence and consistency.

2. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

It may have been a slow start for Arsenal but since kicking into gear, England striker Alessia Russo has shown why she is regarded as one of the best forwards in Europe. She has finished joint-highest goalscorer in the league and has lifted her team in moments when they really needed her. She has played with an aura that has been lacking in previous seasons. Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw would have been right up there had she not been injured for a large chunk of the second half of the season but Russo’s consistency in the new year means she makes my top three.

3. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

1. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea)

If you talk about consistency, the player that can drive her team when they need it the most, I would say Erin Cuthbert does that in abundance for Chelsea. You saw in the League Cup final when they were playing against Manchester City, the game was running away from them and she comes on and scores the winning goal. She is an absolute standout.

2. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

I don’t even have words to say. In terms of her technical ability, being moved from that left-hand side to more centrally, we have seen a much bigger impact from her with both goals and assists. The run they have been on I would put down to the work she has put in the middle with Kim Little.

3. Caitlin Foord (Arsenal)

1. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

She has been playing exceptionally well. She is scoring goals, she is full of confidence, she is leading from the front. She is coming into great form, especially going into Euro 2025, which is super exciting.

2. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

She has transformed into a phenomenal left-back even though that is not her traditional position. She has been super influential throughout the season both in and out of possession and is a really exciting player to watch.

3. Olivia Smith (Liverpool)

1. Shekiera Martinez (West Ham)

The fact she has scored 10 goals since the start of the year and has only had a few months to show what she has got, the huge impact she has made since January has been unbelievable. And her goals-to-game ratio is incredible.

2. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

There was so much excitement about her coming in. Everyone knew about her technical quality, her ability to pick up pockets of space and play between the lines with beautiful link-up play. But I don’t think a lot of fans were ready for how steely she would be, how quickly the would get up to the physical element and carry that consistently throughout the season.

3. Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)

1. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

There were big shoes to fill with Mary Earps leaving in the summer. Was Phallon Tullis-Joyce ready to step up? Absolutely. She has only conceded 16 goals in the WSL this season, she has made some huge saves in huge games. It’s wonderful to see how much she has come on as a goalkeeper. Technically she is one of the best in the league and I have seen a lot of improvements over the season.

2. Olivia Smith (Liverpool)

So exciting to watch. She has been so difficult to mark, she has been Liverpool’s main player in regards to goal threats. She is so young with such an exciting future. Liverpool will do well to keep hold of her and should do everything in their power to do so. It’s really exciting to have her in the league.

3. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

1. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

She has been the best signing in my opinion. She has scored important goals for Arsenal and showed great skill and experience, as well as being able to dictate the tempo of play.

2. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

She had big shoes to fill in replacing Mary Earps but has seamlessly become United’s number one. She has the joint-most clean sheets in the WSL this season and also won her first cap for the United States.

3. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

1. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

She has taken her game to the next level. Her goalscoring tally says it all this season.

2. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea)

Her movement and energy in Chelsea’s front line set a precedent from early on in the season.

3. Millie Bright (Chelsea)

The Women’s Super League’s player of the season will be crowned in one of 14 awards at the inaugural Women’s Professional Game Awards on Sunday.

The winners of each award will be voted for by the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) board, the Football Writers’ Association and Football Supporters’ Association.

1. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

Moving into midfield, she has a bit of everything for Arsenal this season. She was without a doubt their most creative player, she was the player that drove them on, especially when Renee Slegers became manager. She showed her experience at times this season in terms of, when it mattered, she stepped up for her team and scored some really important goals and assisted big goals along the way.

2. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

A newcomer to the league, we were all surprised by where she was going to play. On that left side she was a constant threat for Chelsea. Every team that played against her really struggled with her forward runs but she also showed a lot of skill, a lot of physical presence, even though she is small in stature. Her creativity on the left proved why Chelsea were champions. They were very adaptable with her position and she just got used to it and got on with it.

3. Mary Fowler (Manchester City)

1. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

The Manchester United goalkeeper had big boots to fill when she took over from Mary Earps but she has taken on the responsibility in impressive fashion. With 13 clean sheets she has been crucial to their Champions League qualification campaign and is arguably one of the best WSL signings of the past two seasons. She has shown leadership, confidence and consistency.

2. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

It may have been a slow start for Arsenal but since kicking into gear, England striker Alessia Russo has shown why she is regarded as one of the best forwards in Europe. She has finished joint-highest goalscorer in the league and has lifted her team in moments when they really needed her. She has played with an aura that has been lacking in previous seasons. Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw would have been right up there had she not been injured for a large chunk of the second half of the season but Russo’s consistency in the new year means she makes my top three.

3. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

1. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea)

If you talk about consistency, the player that can drive her team when they need it the most, I would say Erin Cuthbert does that in abundance for Chelsea. You saw in the League Cup final when they were playing against Manchester City, the game was running away from them and she comes on and scores the winning goal. She is an absolute standout.

2. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

I don’t even have words to say. In terms of her technical ability, being moved from that left-hand side to more centrally, we have seen a much bigger impact from her with both goals and assists. The run they have been on I would put down to the work she has put in the middle with Kim Little.

3. Caitlin Foord (Arsenal)

1. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

She has been playing exceptionally well. She is scoring goals, she is full of confidence, she is leading from the front. She is coming into great form, especially going into Euro 2025, which is super exciting.

2. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

She has transformed into a phenomenal left-back even though that is not her traditional position. She has been super influential throughout the season both in and out of possession and is a really exciting player to watch.

3. Olivia Smith (Liverpool)

1. Shekiera Martinez (West Ham)

The fact she has scored 10 goals since the start of the year and has only had a few months to show what she has got, the huge impact she has made since January has been unbelievable. And her goals-to-game ratio is incredible.

2. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

There was so much excitement about her coming in. Everyone knew about her technical quality, her ability to pick up pockets of space and play between the lines with beautiful link-up play. But I don’t think a lot of fans were ready for how steely she would be, how quickly the would get up to the physical element and carry that consistently throughout the season.

3. Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)

1. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

There were big shoes to fill with Mary Earps leaving in the summer. Was Phallon Tullis-Joyce ready to step up? Absolutely. She has only conceded 16 goals in the WSL this season, she has made some huge saves in huge games. It’s wonderful to see how much she has come on as a goalkeeper. Technically she is one of the best in the league and I have seen a lot of improvements over the season.

2. Olivia Smith (Liverpool)

So exciting to watch. She has been so difficult to mark, she has been Liverpool’s main player in regards to goal threats. She is so young with such an exciting future. Liverpool will do well to keep hold of her and should do everything in their power to do so. It’s really exciting to have her in the league.

3. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

1. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

She has been the best signing in my opinion. She has scored important goals for Arsenal and showed great skill and experience, as well as being able to dictate the tempo of play.

2. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

She had big shoes to fill in replacing Mary Earps but has seamlessly become United’s number one. She has the joint-most clean sheets in the WSL this season and also won her first cap for the United States.

3. Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

1. Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

She has taken her game to the next level. Her goalscoring tally says it all this season.

2. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea)

Her movement and energy in Chelsea’s front line set a precedent from early on in the season.

3. Millie Bright (Chelsea)