Cardiff qualified for the URC playoffs with a passionate home win over the Stormers at the Arms Park on Friday night.
Corniel van Zyl’s side ran in four tries for a 22-16 bonus-point win to climb up to fourth on the log, above the Vodacom Bulls, who host Benetton on Saturday.
The Stormers remain second but will end third if Leinster beat the Ospreys in Dublin on Saturday.
In Friday night’s other results, Connacht thumped Edinburgh 26-5 to book their place in the quarter-finals and the Glasgow Warriors edged Ulster 26-22 in Belfast to secure top spot on the log.
Ulster’s loss means that the Lions are now assured of a place in the top eight regardless of Saturday’s result against Munster in Limerick.
A rocky opening
The Stormers made an ominous start at the Arms Park, with their scrum dominating on the 4G surface. After a series of penalties, Cardiff captain Liam Belcher was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements.
The Stormers capitalised immediately. Lock Adré Smith crashed over in the seventh minute and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the conversion to give the visitors a deserved 7-0 lead.
But despite being reduced to 14 men, Cardiff responded superbly.
In the 17th minute, flyhalf Ioan Lloyd produced a pinpoint cross-kick for Jacob Beetham, who gathered and stepped his way over for the hosts’ first try. Lloyd converted to level the scores.
Cardiff struck again soon afterwards. Tom Bowen finished off a slick backline move to put the Welsh side in front as the Stormers were made to pay for a lapse in concentration.
The Cape side regained some momentum through their pack, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotted a long-range penalty in the 30th minute to cut the deficit to 12-10.
The Stormers then suffered another setback just before the break when Smith was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.
Taking advantage of numerical superiority
Cardiff took full advantage of their numerical superiority, with Lloyd twisting over in the corner to score and extend the home side’s lead.
Lloyd’s conversion drifted wide, but Cardiff still went into the sheds with a deserved seven-point advantage.
The Stormers drew first blood just six minutes into the second half through another Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty, but Cardiff landed a heavy blow as Beetham crossed for his second to take the hosts’ lead beyond a converted try.
The second half ebbed and flowed, but the Stormers’ lack of finishing power and some basic skill failures would be of concern for coach John Dobson heading into the quarter-finals.
CARDIFF – Tries: Jacob Beetham (2), Tom Bowen, Ioan Lloyd. Conversion: Lloyd.
STORMERS – Try: Adré Smith. Conversion: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3).
This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
