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Stormers redemption is in taming the Tigers in Cape Town

Published

5 months ago

12th January 2026

The Stormers, despite the 61-10 embarrassing loss to Harlequins on Sunday, can still host a Investec Champions Cup Round 16 play-off match if they beat Leicester’s Tigers on Saturday. They are South Africa’s strongest play-off contender.

The Stormers, unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions, before the humiliation at the Stoop, went from leading their Investec Champions Cup Pool to third place. They must beat the Tigers and hope hosts La Rochelle beat Harlequins.

Leinster, thanks to Harry Byrne’s 81st minute penalty to give the hosts a one point win against La Rochelle, will top the Pool with an away win against Bayonne, who have not won a match in this season’s tournament.

The Stormers, on Monday, reported that 20 000 tickets had already been sold for Saturday’s showdown with the Tigers and a crowd in excess of 30 000 is expected in Cape Town.

SALE OWN THE TANK IN BATTLE OF THE SHARKS

The South African teams were humbled, in performance, and, for the Stormers and Sharks, because of team selections. Sharks owner Marco Masotti mocked the Sales Sharks as being Sale Tuna and said there was only one rugby team called the Sharks – his.

But after the weekend, the Sharks belong to Sale and the Tuna is all to be seen in Durban.

Hollywood Bets Tuna and Stormers punished on the road

It was a bruising weekend for the SA contingent, with all three sides suffering heavy defeats away from home.

The Vodacom Bulls were outgunned in a 110-point shootout as Bristol Bears ran in nine tries to claim a 61-49 bonus-point win at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. It is the second most points conceded by the Bulls in Super Rugby, URC and Investec Champions Cup.

The Crusaders in the 2017 Super Rugby season scored 10 tries and 62 points in a 62-24 win in Pretoria.

The Hollywoodbets Tuna also came up short in Manchester, where Sale Sharks delivered a clinical 26-10 victory to strengthen their position in Pool 1.

In the harshest result of the weekend, Harlequins tore the DHL Stormers apart at Twickenham Stoop, handing the Cape side a brutal 61-10 defeat.

Big names deliver in blockbuster clashes

While the SA teams endured a tough round, Europe’s heavyweights produced drama in the tournament’s standout fixtures.

Leinster Rugby left it late very late with Harry Byrne’s clutch 81st-minute kick sealing a dramatic 25-24 win over old rivals Stade Rochelais.

Defending champions Union Bordeaux Bègles proved too strong for Northampton Saints, pulling away in the second half to win 50-28 in a repeat of last season’s final. Bordeaux led 50-14 until two late Saints tries secured a four-try bonus point for the visitors.

Sarries showed their steel against six-time champions Stade Toulousain, whose late surge fell short as Saracens held on for a 20-14 win in Toulouse’s second defeat of the campaign. They also lost to Glasgow in Scotland.

Bonus-point winners pile on the pressure

There were vital bonus-point wins for several sides and bad news for SA opposition in key pools.

South African coach Johann van Graan’s Bath picked up a crucial bonus point in a 43-20 away win against Castres Olympique, while Glasgow Warriors claimed a famous 33-21 away victory against ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Bristol Bears, Sale Sharks and Harlequins all got try-scoring bonus point wins against the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers respectively.

Down to the wire: Round 4 brings do-or-die pressure

Attention now turns to Round 4, with final qualification spots still up for grabs and quarter-final home advantages on the line. Seven of the 24 teams have qualified, which leaves nine teams playing for the last 16 play-offs and another four playing for the right to a EPCR Play-offs Challenge Cup opportunity.

Pool 4: Top spot still wide open

While three of Pool 4’s sides are already through, the battle at the top is set to explode.

Union Bordeaux Bègles (1st) travel to Bristol Bears (2nd) in a blockbuster clash for first place on Sunday and tries should be guaranteed, with the sides sharing 44 tries so far.

Northampton Saints (3rd) host winless Scarlets as they look to push for second and a home last 16.