Cardiff disappointed but proud as season ends

Disappointment but pride.

That seemed to be the vibe from Cardiff players and coaches after their season ended with a 44-21 United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off quarter-final defeat against Stormers in Cape Town.

It also brought down the curtain on the Welsh domestic season after Ospreys, Scarlets and Dragons failed to make the top eight, with Cardiff finishing sixth in the regular season.

With financial constraints and off-field issues plaguing the Welsh sides again, making the top half of the league and reaching a historic first play-off was significant progress for the Arms Park side.

"We're disappointed with the result, but throughout the season we've been great," said Cardiff and Wales wing Josh Adams.

"It's been successful. We knew at the start of the season that we wanted to finish in the top eight, that was our target.

"We finished sixth and were in the top eight for the whole season."

Cardiff lost head coach Matt Sherratt to Steve Tandy's backroom staff just a few days before the season started, with forwards boss Corniel van Zyl making the step up to replace him.

"We're proud of the boys from where we started the season into how we finished," said van Zyl.

"To end up sixth, with 16 quality teams, I say would make us proud. Unfortunately we couldn't push on to the next step and that's the disappointing part."

Van Zyl guided Cardiff to 11 league victories, with eight of those coming at their Arms Park home.

With only one URC win achieved outside Wales this season, securing an unlikely play-off victory in South Africa against a former tournament winner was always going to be a tough ask.

The squad landing only a few days before the fixture after a 6,000-mile flight to Cape Town added to their task.

Cardiff flanker Dan Thomas has been one of the shining lights this season and again impressed against Stormers.

The open-side did not want to accept defeat but acknowledged the steps made in the 2025-26 campaign.

"Everyone was happy with how the season went, we made the play-offs which was important for the club, but no-one remembers who loses in quarter-finals," Thomas told S4C.

"Making the play-offs is important for the club.

"It's an odd one, we're happy with how the season has gone, but you want silverware. It is back to the drawing board now and we need to start again."

Cardiff have signed veteran Australian prop Scott Sio for next season, a move which they will hope shores up a scrum taken apart by Stormers.

"It is obvious, our set-piece needs to improve," said Thomas.

"The Stormers were dominant and we didn't cope. We knew it was coming and still couldn't stop it.

"We know the hard work will start in pre-season."

There are still challenges for Cardiff and the rest of the Welsh sides before the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Cardiff remain under the ownership of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) after the governing body failed to sell the club to Ospreys owners Y11 Sport & Media.

Four Welsh professional sides will compete in the URC for the next two seasons, although the off-the-field politics will return during the next month. The WRU has promised that by the end of June it will outline the process by which the number of teams will be reduced to three by 2028.

Cardiff, Ospreys, Scarlets and Dragons will hope to have slightly increased budgets next season, even if those are still significantly below rivals from other nations.

Against this backdrop, Cardiff have defied the odds this season.

"There were some rough times during the season with all the off-field stuff but we can't use any of that as an excuse," said van Zyl.

"Ultimately the performance on the pitch is what counts."

For Adams, the brief taste of play-off rugby has left Cardiff wanting more.

"We're a young team and there's a lot of growth in this team," he said.

"I'm looking forward to next season and hopefully improving also.

"I feel that, as a group, some boys will move on and the new boys will come in. We just want to keep building and be back in games like this again next season."

The same message came from captain Liam Belcher.

"Overall, it's been a good season where we made history," said the Wales hooker.

"It's been three years of work. We have gone through some dark times and look where we are now.

"We need to kick on now. We have had a taste of it, so hopefully we will be back again next season."