Harlequins silenced their critics with a ruthless and clinical drubbing of the Stormers in London on Sunday.
The hosts ran in nine tries – including a hat-trick from winger Nick David – to demolish the Stormers 61-10 in round three of the Investec Champions Cup and end the Cape side’s perfect start to the season.
Quins kept the Stormers scoreless in the first half, scoring five tries to take a 33-0 lead into the sheds. Loose forwards Jack Kenningham, Chander Cunningham-Smith, captain Alex Dombrandt, and wingers Caden Murley and Nick David all crossed the whitewash for the hosts, who were a team said to be in the midst of a crisis following three heavy defeats in the English Premiership.
Alex Dombrandt loves a try against the Stormers 😲🏉
Harlequins get their third inside 16 minutes ⌚
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— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) January 11, 2026
Ill-discipline at the breakdown cost the Stormers, with Murley’s try a direct result of a breakdown penalty from Ben-Jason Dixon. The Cape side also had several promising moments halted due to not protecting the ball on the ground and allowing Harlequins to blast them off the ball.
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It was more of the same in the second half, as the Stormers failed to convert good field position and 22m entries due to mistakes and penalties.
David ran in two more tries to complete his hat-trick with replacement loose forward Zach Carr also barrelling over the tryline within two minutes of appearing on the field.
Impact off the bench ⚡
Imad Khan gets the Stormers’ first points of the day 🔢
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— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) January 11, 2026
The Stormers avoided being blanked 14 minutes from time with replacement scrumhalf Imad Khan rounding off a backline move to get the visitors on the board.
Seven minutes later, winger Dylan Maart dotted down in the corner after a period of good ball possession for the Stormers. But it was too little too late with Harlequins never looking troubled.
Both Quins and the Stormers have secured a round-of-16 place, but the Cape side hopes to earn a home playoff by beating the Leicester Tigers in Cape Town on Saturday.
HARLEQUINS – Tries: Nick David (3), Jack Kenningham, Caden Murley, Alex Dombrandt, Chandler Cunningham-Smith, Zach Carr, Jarrod Evans. Conversions: Marcus Smith (8).
STORMERS – Tries: Imad Khan, Dylan Maart.
Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images
