For Josh Adams, this weekend’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final represents a new challenge.

Despite a decorated career that has included British & Irish Lions Tests, Six Nations campaigns and World Cups, Cardiff’s clash against the DHL Stormers in Cape Town will be Adams’ first experience of post-season rugby at club level.

It is a milestone moment in more ways than one for Cardiff, whose remarkable season now enters its biggest chapter yet against one of the URC’s established heavyweights.

The Blue & Blacks travel to South Africa carrying confidence from their impressive 22-16 victory over the Stormers at the Arms Park just two weeks ago – a result that sealed a sixth-place finish and confirmed Cardiff’s first URC play-off appearance. 

But neither Adams nor Cardiff are disguising the scale of the challenge awaiting them at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium.

“We understand Stormers are very, very good at home,” said Adams.

“We’re under no illusion that probably last time we played them, they didn’t play to the best of their ability. The quality they have means we know they’ll be better this weekend, so we’re certainly going to have to be better as a team as well.”

That realism has underpinned Cardiff’s rise this season.

While the backdrop of Welsh rugby has often been dominated by uncertainty, Cardiff have quietly built one of their most consistent campaigns in years. Corniel van Zyl’s side never dropped out of the top eight all season and lost only once at home during the regular campaign.

Importantly, Adams believes the achievement goes beyond merely qualifying.

“We haven’t just crept into these play-offs either,” he said.

“We finished sixth and I don’t think we dropped out of the top eight all season. We’ve grown from last year and the whole squad has bought into what we’re trying to do.”

That collective belief will be tested in one of the most demanding environments in club rugby.

The Stormers have built a formidable reputation in Cape Town over recent seasons and are wounded after Cardiff’s victory in Wales cost them momentum heading into the knockouts. Stormers director of rugby John Dobson admitted this week his side were “really poor” in the defeat and are determined to respond on home soil. 

Adams expects exactly that reaction.

“The physicality they bring at home, combined with the emotion of the occasion, really sets the tone,” he said.

“That’s something we’ve looked at a lot. And it takes a full squad effort to win out here – one to 23.”

Cardiff are boosted by Adams’ own return after the concussion he suffered in Glasgow ended his evening after just 39 minutes. The Wales wing admitted the period following the Six Nations had been disrupted by frustrating setbacks, including two separate concussions and a neck spasm, despite feeling physically in excellent shape.

Now back available, Adams believes both Cardiff and Wales are benefiting from the work being done behind the scenes to evolve physically alongside the demands of the modern game.

“The game has changed massively, especially for back-three players,” he explained.

“The distances you cover and the amount of high-speed running you do now is far greater than when I first started.”

The Welsh winger knows repeating that result away from home will require another level entirely.

“It’s a tough place to go and win,” he admitted.

“But if we get our game right and implement the things we feel can make a difference, we’ll give ourselves a really good chance.”