Coach Corniel van Zyl admitted Cardiff “just came up short” following a narrow 21-15 defeat to the Sharks in Durban, as the Blue & Blacks claimed a losing bonus point in the BKT United Rugby Championship.
In a hard-fought contest, which saw Mason Grady cross over for two early tries, the game remained finely balanced throughout, with the heat and humidity playing its part throughout.
Cardiff were dealt an early blow with injuries to Josh McNally and Taulupe Faletau, both of whom were forced off in the first half. Coach Corniel van Zyl reflected on the impact of that disruption post-match.
“Yeah, look, it was tough to lose those players early on and that put us under pressure,” explained Van Zyl. “There were two actions we probably could have dealt with better and they ended up scoring twice.
“The pressure of those early changes meant we couldn’t bring fresh legs at the end, and that makes a difference in a tight game like that. So yeah, it was close at the end, but we just came up short.”
Despite the setbacks, Cardiff remained firmly in the contest and pushed the hosts until the final stages. Van Zyl praised the effort of his side but stressed the importance of turning performances into results.
“The boys gave it everything and the fight was great,” he added. “But ultimately we want to get better and not just talk about the fight. We want to win games. That’s the disappointing part, but at least those foundations are there.”
While defeat was frustrating, the bonus point ensured Cardiff did not leave South Africa empty-handed. This is something that could prove important in the race for the URC play-offs, as competition between the teams at the top intensifies.
“If you look at the positives, last time we were in South Africa we didn’t get anything, and this time we’ve come away with a point. That’s definitely something to build on and take positives from.”
The team will now turn their attention to the EPCR Challenge Cup, with an away fixture against Exeter Chiefs next up as the Blue & Blacks return to European action.