Heinrich Klaasen: Connacht stun Stormers in Cape Town to boost URC push
heinrich klaasen was not part of this result, but the name matters here because this Cape Town thriller delivered a major swing for Connacht in the United Rugby Championship. Connacht beat the Stormers 33-24 on Friday, 17 April 2026, to move up to sixth in the standings with three regular-season games left. The Irish province scored three tries in the final 16 minutes to turn the match and strengthen their play-off hopes.
Late surge flips the match
The game changed after a frantic second half at DHL Stadium, where Connacht finished with five tries and a bonus-point win. Stuart Lancaster’s side responded strongly after their elimination from the European Challenge Cup last weekend, and the result gave them six consecutive URC victories.
The Stormers were reduced to 14 men early when Deon Fourie was shown a yellow card in the third minute. Connacht took advantage soon after, with Shamus Hurley-Langton scoring in the corner after a long check by the television match official. Sam Gilbert added the conversion.
Stormers hit back through Evan Roos, who found a gap and scored behind the posts. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu then added points on the stroke of half-time with a penalty to give the home side a narrow lead at the break.
Connacht keep pressing after the interval
Ntuthuko Mchunu crossed eight minutes into the second half for Stormers, and Connacht answered through Paul Boyle, who forced his way over from close range. Mngomezulu added another Stormers try, but John Devine replied almost immediately for the visitors.
With 10 minutes left, Connacht edged ahead 26-24 when Ben Murphy finished a move sparked by Shayne Bolton, who collected a loose ball and set up the scrum-half for a score under the posts. Sean Naughton then sealed the momentum with an intercept try, and Gilbert’s fourth successful kick stretched the margin to nine points.
The final scoreline reflected Connacht’s late control and their ability to finish chances under pressure. It also marked a significant away win against a Stormers side that had started the day four points behind leaders Glasgow.
Team changes and reactions
Connacht had made six changes from the side that started away to Montpellier, with Sean Jansen, Dave Heffernan and Harry West all returning from injury and going straight into the starting XV. David O’Connor, Ben Murphy and John Devine also came into the line-up, while Cian Prendergast captained the side from number six.
Stuart Lancaster said: “We’ve had a good week so far in South Africa and spirits are high ahead of two very important games, and to have four players in Jansen, Heffernan, West and Gavin all return from injury is a great boost for us. We know that playing the Stormers in Cape Town means we can expect huge physicality, so we’ll have to match them in that area from the first minute while being clinical when the opportunities arise. ”
That warning proved accurate, but the late surge showed Connacht had the edge when the contest tightened. With three regular-season games left, heinrich klaasen may not belong in the match itself, but the key takeaway is simple: Connacht now have room to believe their URC run can last longer still.
