Corniel Van Zyl admitted Cardiff Rugby lost control of key moments as the Hollywoodbets Sharks disappointed the home crowd with a 36-21 victory at Cardiff Arms Park.

Cardiff fought their way back into the contest after the interval, overturning the deficit to take the lead and putting themselves in a position to secure another memorable result in front of their home supporters.

However, the Durban-based visitors responded quickly, reclaiming the advantage before pulling away in the closing stages to leave Cardiff without a home victory for the first time in 10 months.

Reflecting on the defeat, Van Zyl felt Cardiff had shown plenty of determination to get themselves back into the game, but ultimately paid the price for losing control of the contest at crucial moments.

“There was a lot of fight. We did fight to get back and get in front,” he explained. “But then, unfortunately, I think key moments cost us the game.

“We had the momentum there and then just probably lost a few of the aerial battles or kick territory.”

Territory proved a significant factor throughout the encounter, with Cardiff repeatedly forced to defend deep inside their own half. Van Zyl highlighted how difficult it had been for his side to gain sufficient ground, despite their second-half resurgence.

“We definitely lost that battle because the first half we were in our own 22, and the second half we were in our own 22 again,” he said.

The physical challenge posed by the Sharks also became increasingly apparent as the game progressed. Having returned to action following a demanding five-day turnaround, Cardiff appeared to run out of steam in the final stages against a powerful South African outfit.

Van Zyl acknowledged the short recovery period had affected his squad, particularly among the backs, as the visitors capitalised on Cardiff’s inability to maintain their momentum.

“The turnaround, especially with the backs, cost us a little bit or fatigued the boys, so I do feel like we ran out of steam,” he admitted. “Yes, we had fresh forwards, but I think it just became too much.”

Despite the disappointment of seeing their home record come to an end, the head coach was keen to ensure the result would not overshadow the work still to come this season.

With another Welsh derby approaching, Cardiff have little time to dwell on the defeat. The Blue and Blacks travel to St Helens in eight days’ time to face the Ospreys on Halloween, offering an immediate opportunity to respond.

Van Zyl acknowledged the disappointment within the changing room but stressed the importance of moving forward and preparing for the next challenge.

“It’s one of those you can’t sit on it for too long,” he said. “Ultimately, I will look forward to next week and make plans to go out and show a good performance.”