Posted by A pre-requisite of supporting any sports team is that you have to think your fan base is the best fan base in the world, and the atmosphere at your home ground is the best atmosphere around. Having said that, the atmosphere at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday night was best atmosphere around and Cardiff fans are the best in the world.
The electricity around the ground was generated in no small part by supporters who deserve a huge amount of credit for the way they’ve brought in to what the Blue & Blacks have done since 2023. From rebuilding with a crop of youngsters and hardly winning a game, through the starting to develop depth in the squad and turning losses into victories, and on to making the play-offs and qualifying for the Champions Cup. The project has been backed consistently.
It was amplified by the performance on the field though, as when it mattered most Cardiff produced what – to my mind at least – was the best showing of the season.
In attack the sizeable Stormers side were moved around with pace and purpose. Possession was fairly equal over the course of the game, but the hosts made 36 more passes. Jacob Beetham and Tom Bowen on the wings had a combined 15 carries, meanwhile their opposite numbers of Suleiman Hartzenburg and Leolin Zas mustered just 8 between them.
Four brilliant Cardiff scores secured a hugely important bonus point, with Ioan Lloyd marshalling proceedings superbly on just his eighth start of the season and his fifth in the 10 jersey. Combined with the speed of ball from Johan Mulder they caused the South Africans all sorts of problems, not least a lack of time to suck any air into their lungs.
The platform was laid for them by a titanic performance from Taine Basham who looked every inch the test level back rower in the week he was overlooked by Steve Tandy for a spot in Cymru’s summer squad. 21 carries for 46 hard earned metres, often creating go-forward ball with silky footwork from a static start or having to generate pace from the back of a reversing scrum.
In transition Cam Winnett continued his excellent run of late season form with an assured showing, especially around the bouncing ball, while Beetham’s aerial dominance was a huge factor in the final quarter of the game as Stormers tried to get territory. Rory Thornton and George Nott were vital at lineout and maul time, keeping Cardiff in the battle when the away side threatened to establish total set piece dominance.
It was defensively that was the story of the night for the Blue & Blacks though. The South Africans were incredibly direct and abrasive, before trying to unleash the mercurial talent of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half, but the home side met that challenge at the gain line and then worked the outside defence perfectly to shackle the star man.
Dan Thomas rightfully won Seren-y-GĂŞm, with his 16 tackles and three turnovers both game leading stats for Cardiff as he maintained his crucial performance level throughout this season, backed up by the ever-excellent James Botham across the back row from him. Mulder with 13 tackles was immense at closing the space outside them.
Perhaps the most credit should go to Gethin Jenkins though. A undisputed legend of the game who goes somewhat under the radar as an assistant coach at the Arms Park and – as I’m guilty of too – is portrayed as something of a caricature of himself, yet is clearly doing incredible work as the club will have at least a top five defence in the United Rugby Championship for the campaign.
Ultimately Cardiff finish the season with well deserved proof of progress. It would have been a successful year anyway across a lot of metrics; more wins, more league points, improved kicking, better defence, further progression of young players etc. However, to have the tangible reward of securing a spot in the URC play-offs and qualifying for the Champions Cup is validation of all that.
It was also the perfect way for the Arms Park to bid farewell to a true great of the game in Leigh Halfpenny. He’s been involved in countless huge games across his glittering career, but knowing the humility and professionalism of the man there’s no doubt that even a three-minute cameo will have made this one a special night for him and his family – more on him later in the week.
There have been many great occasions and results at the historic ground over the years, but this slots right in there alongside them as a fixture when the players, coaches and supporters were singing off the same hymn sheet at the culmination of three years of hard work and unwavering belief.
Fortress Arms Park – where Cardiff have lost just once all season – turned from battleground to celebration.
The work is not done yet though. The quarter-finals will present a tough opponent away from home no matter what final position the Blue & Blacks end up in, but these are the games that the club want to be involved in. It’ll be the same in the Champions Cup pool stages next season too.
While there won’t necessarily be any expectation from outside the bubble, why not go there with confidence that we can win? It is a privilege to be able to participate in these big fixtures, and it should be seen as where a club of Cardiff’s heritage and standing within the game should be. At the top table of European rugby.
This may be the ending of one part of the project – to go from an almost total reset to a competitive level – but here now starts the next phase; challenging ourselves against the best. And from what I’ve seen this group of players and coaches can certainly do that. Ymlaen Caerdydd!
Cardiff Rugby Life 