Cardiff clinch URC play-off spot with Stormers win

Breaking news from the world of sport: Cardiff clinch URC play-off spot with Stormers winImage source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyImage caption, Cardiff have won 11 league games this seasonByGareth GriffithsBBC Sport WalesPublished18 minutes agoUnited Rugby ChampionshipCardiff (17) 22Tries: Beetham 2, Bowen, Lloyd, Con: I LloydStormers (10) 16Try: Smith Con: Feinberg-Mngomezulu Pens: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3Cardiff booked their United Rugby Championship (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 and 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 and 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 and 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.

Match Details

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 and 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. Frantic FridayIt was always going to be a frenetic final Friday night with Connacht away at Edinburgh and Ulster at home to Glasgow. With Glasgow, Stormers, Leinster and 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 and 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 and 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 and Mason Grady.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.