Cardiff clinch URC play-off spot with Stormers win

Cardiff have won 11 league games this season

Tries: Beetham 2, Bowen, Lloyd,Con:I Lloyd

Try:SmithCon:Feinberg-MngomezuluPens:Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3

Cardiff booked their (URC) play-off spot with a thrilling bonus-point victory against Stormers at the Arms Park.

Two tries from Jacob Beetham, a score from fellow wing Tom Bowen. seven points from fly-half Ioan Lloyd sealed the win and also a place in the European Champions Cup next season.

Stormers responded with a try from Adre Smith and 11 points from South Africa fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

The crowd of 10,143 also witnessed possibly the final appearance of former Wales. British and Irish Lions full-back Leigh Halfpenny when he came on as a 78th minute replacement.

Cardiff have risen to fourth in the table. must wait to see where they finish after Munster's home match against Lions and Bulls' game against Benetton in South Africa.

If they finish outside the top four. Corniel van Zyl's team will be away from home in the quarter-finals on the final weekend of May.

Stormers are in danger of dropping to third in the final standings with Leinster potentially rising into second when they face Ospreys on Saturday.

The home performance was outstanding, especially when you consider they were missing a host of injured Wales internationals.

The Cardiff back-row trio was excellent, particularly flanker Dan Thomas at stealing possession at the breakdown, while number eight. player-of-the-match Taine Basham produced an outstanding ball-carrying display.

Half-backs Johan Mulder and Lloyd pulled the strings and there was some brilliant finishing from the Cardiff backs.

It was always going to be a frenetic final Friday night with Connacht away at Edinburgh. Ulster at home to Glasgow.

With Glasgow, Stormers, Leinster. Bulls having booked their play-off places, Lions, Munster, Cardiff and Ulster started the final round in the remaining spots with ninth-placed Connacht just outside.

Cardiff were in in seventh place, aiming to book the play-off place, while Stormers were second. hoping to seal top spot so they would be at home in a potential quarter-final, semi-final and final.

Cardiff were desperate to avoid history repeating itself. after they missed out on finishing in the top eight last season by just one point to fellow Welsh side Scarlets.

They managed this in style.

Lock Josh McNally was unavailable because of selection to play for the Royal Air Force against the British Army tomorrow, while Wales forwards Alex Mann, Teddy Williams. Taulupe Faletau were also missing.

Halfpenny was named on the replacements bench after stepping in due to a number of backline injuries, including Wales trio Callum Sheedy, Josh Adams. Mason Grady.

Fly-half Lloyd replaced Sheedy but made an early error from the kick-off which put the home side under pressure.

Cardiff captain Liam Belcher was shown a yellow card for conceding a penalty on his own line while the hosts' scrum was under intense pressure.

It was no surprise when Smith powered over and Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted.

Cardiff responded well as they firstly ran down the clock when they were down to 14 men with some effective close-quarter attacks. heavily involving Basham.

The home side capitalised when they were back to a full complement with a clever Lloyd cross-kick finished by Beetham with the fly-half converting from the touchline.

Cardiff were rampant and. with centre Ben Thomas at the helm, the hosts created an excellent second try for Wales Under-20s wing Bowen, who superbly squeezed in down the left corner.

After the initial dominance, Stormers were unsettled but managed to reduce the deficit with a long-range Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty.

Cardiff prop Danny Southworth looked as if he had scored the hosts' third try. it was disallowed because of a forward pass.

Smith was shown a yellow card for a high. dangerous tackle on Botham just before half-time as Cardiff made the extra player tell.

It was Lloyd that wriggled into the corner with another fine finish to give Cardiff a 17-10 interval lead.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotted over an early second-half penalty before more expert attacking from the home side resulted in the bonus-point try.

A clever tap penalty move created the space for Beetham to dive over for his second after set-up work from half-backs Mulder. Lloyd.

Stormers desperately attacked. looked relatively clueless for a side who have been top of the table for so long this season.

Cardiff repelled their opponents, with their efforts typified by a thunderous Mulder tackle, another Thomas trademark turnover. an interception and line-out steal from unsung lock George Nott.

There was. wonderful moment when the crowd rose to the introduction of Halfpenny for potentially his finest appearance with two minutes to go.

Fittingly. despite a late yellow-card for replacement hooker Dafydd Hughes, Cardiff held on for victory as Stormers claimed a late losing bonus-point with a third Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty.

Leigh Halfpenny scored 801 points for Wales

Halfpenny is set to hang up his boots at the age of 37 at the end of the season. was thankful for celebrating perhaps for the final time in front of the Cardiff fans.

"I'm extremely grateful to be given this opportunity," Halfpenny told S4C.

"Cardiff gave me my opportunity as an 18-year-old to come here and I've made some incredible memories.

"To be able to come back to Cardiff this year. finish at the Arms Park in front of the fans, it means a lot.

"It's special and I've just been overwhelmed in the last week or so since the announcement, the messages from everyone.

"I've been blown away and just so grateful to everyone that has supported me along the way. Without them, it wouldn't be possible."

Cardiff: Winnett; Beetham, B Thomas, Jennings, Bowen; I Lloyd, Mulder; Southworth, Belcher (capt), Sebastian, Nott, Thornton, Botham, D Thomas, Basham.

Replacements:D Hughes, Barratt, Assiratti, Lawrence, E Lloyd, E Bevan, S Emanuel, Halfpenny.

Yellow card: Belcher 5

Stormers:Willemse; Hartzenberg. Simelane, Roche, Zas; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Khan; Mchunu, Venter, Fouche (capt), Smith, R van Heerden, P de Villiers, B-J Dixon, Roos.

Replacements:Kotze, Kebble, Sande, Moerat, Theunissen, Morabe, Ungerer, Matthee.

Yellow card:Smith 38, Hughes 80

Referee:Andrew Brace (Ireland)

Assistant referees:Ben Connor (Wales), Lucas Yendle (Wales).

TMO:Olly Hodges (Ireland).

**Author: United Rugby Championship**