Cardiff clinch URC play-off spot with Stormers win

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 WalesPublished2 minutes agoCommentsUnited Rugby ChampionshipCardiff (17) 22Tries: Beetham 2, Bowen, Lloyd, Cons: I LloydStormers (10) 13Try: Smith Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu Pens: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2Cardiff 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 try from Adre Smith and eight 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 will wait to see where they finish after the Munster and Lions game on Saturday.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 today.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..Fly-half 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 and Ulster at home to Glasgow.With Glasgow, Stormers, Leinster and Bulls having b...