The first half was played at a frenetic pace with both teams looking dangerous and putting on a show. Both sides scored twice with Manie Libbok’s boot proving to be the difference as the Capetonians took a slender 12-10 lead into the break.

However, the usually reliable DHL Stormers flyhalf missed three kicks at goal in the second half, leaving the highly entertaining and high-quality encounter on a knife edge with the scores tied at 17-all before a brilliant piece of vision by Sione Tuipulotu, a grubber in behind the defending champions’ defence, saw Cancelliere score the winner in the final play of the game.

It was the Scottish side who drew first blood and they did so in style, stringing several passes together for Cancelliere to finish for an unconverted try in the eighth minute.

The DHL Stormers fired back and took the lead in the 15th minute after lock Lewis Bean was yellow-carded and Joseph Dweba peeled off the back of a driving maul and powered his way over for a try converted by Libbok.

The 14-man hosts continued to give the ball air and stunned the DHL Stormers with a second five-pointer through South African-born captain Kyle Steyn.

The visitors had an opportunity to set up a 5m lineout before Bean returned from the bin, however, Libbok kicked the ball dead. He made no such mistake when his forwards won the first of two scrum penalties of the half, taking his team back into the 22 where Clayton Blommetjies eventually touched down thanks to a bullet pass by Paul de Wet.

Libbok couldn’t add the extras from the right-hand touchline where after they survived one last scare to have their noses in front at halftime.

The Capetonians were notably slower and under the pump straight after the interval. They gifted Glasgow easy metres and former DHL Stormer and Man of the Match Huw Jones danced through a handful of defenders to put the hosts back in front in the 51st minute, with George Horne’s conversion making it a five-point game.

John Dobson turned to his bench and it was one of the replacements, Junior Pokomela, who levelled the scores when he crashed over from close range with 18 minutes to go. Libbok missed the conversion and a penalty goal as the rain started to fall to add to the drama.

Angelo Davids, on for an injured Lionel Zas, saved the day with a brilliant try-saving tackle on Steyn, which inspired an exceptionally spirited defensive set from the DHL Stormers on their line.

In the end, though, Tuipulotu’s touch of class gave the Warriors a famous win, their 11th straight at home, and a bonus point to boot.

Scorers:

Glasgow Warriors 24 (10) – Tries: Sebastian Cancelliere (2), Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones. Conversions: George Horne, Domingo Miotti.

DHL Stormers 17 (12) – Tries: Joseph Dweba, Clayton Blommetjies, Junior Pokomela. Conversion: Manie Libbok.