Head coach Corniel van Zyl praised his side’s resilience after Cardiff produced a dramatic late comeback to beat the Scarlets 28-24 in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

After trailing 24-7 in the 71st minute, Cardiff turned the game on its head in the closing stages, applying sustained pressure to secure a memorable derby victory.

“There was a lot of time in that game where you didn’t think we were going to win, but I’ll take it,” said a delighted Van Zyl. “The pressure we applied in the last 10 minutes was what we wanted to do from the start.

“We did it a little bit early on, but then we got stuck in our own 22 for large parts of the first half.”

“We tried to keep things simple, but even the simple stuff didn’t work at times. They applied pressure and scored some good tries, and it could easily have gone the other way.

“When teams get momentum, they can really ride it, and that’s what we were up against.”

However, the Blue & Blacks remained in the contest and found another gear late on, with Van Zyl highlighting improved control in key moments as the difference in the turnaround.

“There’s something to fight for, and that belief that we could get it over the line for the bigger picture was crucial,” he said. “We stayed in it, kept competing, and that gave us extra energy towards the end.”

“There were small moments, especially around territory and field position, where we could have been better earlier in the game,” he added. “But it was pleasing to see us manage those situations well when it counted.”

The victory keeps Cardiff firmly in the hunt as the URC season approaches its decisive stages, with competition for places in the top eight as competitive as ever.

“We know every team is pushing, and you never quite know how things will finish,” he said. “What we can control is our performance and giving ourselves another shot each week.

“It’s one of our goals to keep improving and grow as a team. There’s still a lot of work to do, but this is a step in the right direction.”

Cardiff will now turn their attention to another Welsh derby against the Ospreys on Friday, with the Blue & Blacks looking to build on momentum in front of a packed-out Cardiff Arms Park.