Rory Thornton admitted nights like Saturday are what make rugby special after Cardiff edged Ulster with a dramatic, last-gasp victory at the Arms Park – on the evening he marked his 100th appearance for the club.

A tense contest looked set to drift away before a comeback and an 80th minute penalty swung the game Cardiff’s way, prompting Thornton to joke that the celebrations belonged as much to Callum Sheedy as anyone.

“It was brilliant to be fair – three cheers to Sheedy for sorting us out,” he said. “Ulster have been a quality outfit this year so we knew it was going to be a hell of a test. To finish it like that makes it a special moment for me and my family. Seeing them all there after the game, it just makes it that bit sweeter with a win.”

The evening carried extra significance with Thornton one of three players reaching the 100-cap milestone, a rarity that underlined the shared journey of the group.

“I don’t really know how it’s happened – the stars have aligned,” he smiled. “You think it might be nice to celebrate it on your own, but actually it’s a great occasion with the three of us. It shows the years we’ve been together as mates. I moved here in the 2018-19 season and it’s been brilliant.”

Reflecting on his journey, Thornton admitted he never imagined bringing up a century of appearances in Cardiff colours. Having come through at Ospreys, leaving his home region was a big step, but one that has paid off.

“Cardiff has become my home now,” he said. “I live here, I’ve got a lot of friends here and my family love coming up to the Arms Park. It’s a special stadium – especially on Friday and Saturday nights under the lights. It’s a great place to play.”

The win also kept Cardiff well placed heading back into URC action, with three Welsh derbies looming.

“It’s very serious now over the next three games,” Thornton said. “We can put ourselves in really good stead. Tonight set our stall out as a group – it showed the standard and the fight we need over the next few weeks.”

That fight and belief, he added, have become central to the squad’s identity.

“We talk about belief a lot,” he explained. “In those moments we get together in our huddles, the leaders talk and there’s a real belief in how we get back into games. We know what we need to do and that’s the culture we’re building – if we bring the right standard and quality, we can come back like we did tonight.”

Thornton was also quick to praise the Arms Park crowd, who roared Cardiff home as momentum swung late on.

“The crowd were awesome,” he said. “You do have the blinkers on a bit as a player, but in those moments you can hear the noise building and you feed off it. That energy fills you for the last 10 or 15 minutes and it definitely helped us tonight.”

As for the decisive kick, Thornton admitted he was too exhausted to join the initial celebrations.

“I was telling the boys to chase it just in case,” he laughed. “When it went over you heard the crowd first. Everyone sprinted in and I was too knackered, so I just strolled over to congratulate him – he’s made a hell of an evening for us.”

With Cardiff unbeaten at home, Thornton underlined how important it is to keep the Arms Park a difficult place to visit.

“We talk about making it a fortress,” he said. “Home advantage is massive in this league with all the travel. Any chance we get here, with the crowd behind us, we want to protect that at all costs.”

It was a fitting way for Thornton to mark a personal milestone. Bringing up 100 appearances is an achievement in itself, but doing so in a hard-fought win made it all the more meaningful. It reflected both his journey at the club and the collective effort of the group — a night that combined personal pride with the satisfaction of getting the job done and moving Cardiff forward.