CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 17: Leolin Zas of the Stormers scores a try during the Investec Champions Cup match between DHL Stormers and Leicester Tigers at DHL Stadium on January 17, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
The Stormers secured their place in the Champions Cup knockouts with a nervy 39-26 bonus point win over a game Leicester Tigers in their final pool match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.
They bounced back from their first loss of the season, against Harlequins in England a week earlier, but were unconvincing as they were given a run for their money by a weakened Leicester team, who were in the match right until the final whistle.
But in the end it was the Stormers that emerged victorious, which sealed their spot in the last 16, and has lifted them to second on the pool, which would earn them a home playoff, but they need Harlequins to lose their last pool game for that to happen.
Great start
In the match it was a great start for the Stormers as they took an early lead in the seventh minute, after inside centre Jonathan Roche broke the line and got into the Leicester 22m, before flank Paul de Villiers got close and offloaded to eighthman Evan Roos to dive over for the seven pointer.
It got even better for the hosts in the 15th minute, as they set up a lineout on the Lecester five metre, set the maul and rumbled forward, before hooker Andre-Hugo Venter broke off and was driven over for the unconverted score, putting them 12-0 up.
But Leicester then absolutely stunned the Stormers with two quickfire tries to take the lead in the 26th minute.
Both were largely thanks to great running lines on attack in the Stormers 22m, as first fullback George Pearson scythed through to score in the 23rd minute, followed soon after by outside centre Will Wand hitting a great gap, while flyhalf Billy Searle slotted both conversions to put them ahead 14-12.
Leicester were now the team on top and the Stormers had to whether a bit of a storm, but they hit back on the halftime hooter, almost scoring through wing Dylan Maart, but in the end flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu popped over a penalty to give them a 15-14 lead at the break.
Second half
The back and forth contest continued in the second half as Leicester went back ahead in the 44th minute, kicking a penalty into the corner and rumbling a maul over for Jamie Blamire to dot down the converted score.
But four minutes later the Stormers promptly replied from a good attack in the visitors half, with some slick handling ending with wing Leolin Zas going over, converted by Feinberg-Mngomezulu to edge them back in front 22-21.
The Stormers then received a blow in the 63rd minute when captain Feinberg-Mngomezulu received a yellow card for leading with the elbow when attacking in the Leicester 22m, which also robbed them of an easy shot at goal for three points.
But despite being a man short the Stormers ran in a crucial four try in the 68th minute, as a snipe down the short side from replacement scrumhalf Imad Khan saw him pass to lock JD Schickerling who ran into the 22m, superbly dummied the last defender and ran in to score.
Khan importantly knocked over the conversion to put them ahead by eight points going into the final 10 minutes, and in the 73rd minute put them 32-21 up with a successful penalty.
But after his two important kicks, Khan then made a big error straight from the kick-off, with his box kick charged down by replacement lock Tom Manz, who picked up the ball and flopped over for the unconverted try to bring them back within six points.
It was then fittingly Khan that rounded out an action packed cameo after the fulltime hooter as he sniped over off the back of a dominant scrum to secure the win.
Scorers
Stormers:
Tries: Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter, Leolin Zas, JD Schickerling, Imad Khan
Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3), Khan
Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Khan
Leicester Tigers:
Tries: George Pearson, Will Wand, Jamie Blamire, Tom Manz
Conversions: Billy Searle (3)
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