The DHL Stormers paid the penalty for sending a youthful side to play the Leicester Tigers and lost 35-26 while their "A" team were already preparing for next weekend’s visit of Stade Rochelais in Cape Town.
However, the United Rugby Championship side did themselves proud and took a 10-17 lead into half-time.
Leicester Tigers rallied in the second half scoring three tries and secured the bonus point in stoppage time.
Centre Solomone Kata scored the game’s opening try on 14 minutes when Number 8 Jasper Wiese found his team-mate with a pass out of the scrum to charge over, fly-half Handre Pollard slotting the conversion from range.
The young DHL Stormers held their own and Number 8 Keke Morabe picked the ball up at the base of the scrum and charged over, converted by fly-half Jurie Matthee to level the score 10-10.
The visitors then took a shock lead going into the break with srum-half Paul de Wet capitalising on a loose ball out of the scrum before playing through wing Courtnall Skosan, Matthee converting.
Leicester Tigers mustered a powerful response after the break with Pollard kicking a penalty before Kata crossed for a converted try to take a 20-17 lead.
DHL hit back three minutes later with the visitors powering forward before finding Matthee for a drop-kick under the posts.
The sides then traded kicks in a close encounter with Pollard and Matthee both scoring penalties.
With seven minutes remaining DHL Stormers were reduced to 14 men when Wiese was caught between two tacklers and replacement Lee-Marvin Mazibuko was shown yellow.
Moments later Leicester Tigers scored a third try when a chipped kick gained ground before being played sideways for Pollard to score, which he also converted.
DHL Stormers were not lying down and Matthee kicked his third penalty of the afternoon to pull them back to four points behind.
The hosts withstood some pressure and then scored a bonus-point try at the death when a line-out was played across by Jamie Shillcock for Josh Bassett to cross.
DHL Stormers host Stade Rochelais next Saturday, while Leicester head to Stade Francais Paris.
Scorers:
Leicester Tigers: Tries: Solomone Kata (2), Handre Pollard, Josh Bassett. Conversions: Handre Pollard (3). Penalties: Handre Pollard (3).
DHL Stormers: Tries: Keke Morabe, Courtnall Skosan. Conversions: Jurie Matthee (2). Penalties: Jurie Matthee (3).
Teams
Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Josh Bassett, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Solomone Kata, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 5 Cameron Henderson, 4 Ollie Chessum, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Francois van Wyk. Replacements: 16 Archie Vanes, 17 James Cronin, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Kyle Hatherell, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Dan Kelly.
DHL Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Hendré Stassen, 3 Brok Harris (c), 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Sti Sithole. Replacements: 16: JJ Kotze, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Cornel Smit.
