The Stormers have booked their place in the United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-finals after a hard-fought 44–21 victory over Cardiff in Cape Town.Although the final scoreline suggests a comfortable win, the home side were made to work hard by a resilient Welsh outfit, especially in a scrappy and tactical first half.

The Stormers dominated territory early on, using a kicking game and strong chasing from winger Seabelo Senatla to pressure Cardiff, while their scrum gradually became a major weapon, earning repeated penalties.

However, the visitors struck first with a long-range intercept try finished by fullback Cam Winnett, giving them an unexpected lead against the run of play.The Stormers responded with a burst of three tries in a short spell before half-time.

Hooker André-Hugo Venter scored from a powerful maul, loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu capitalised on creative attacking play, and winger Leolin Zas finished clinically in the corner after slick handling involving Damian Willemse.

Despite this momentum, the Stormers were criticised for failing to fully capitalise on opportunities, leaving points on the field even when Cardiff were reduced to 13 men due to disciplinary issues.

In the second half, the Cape side eventually pulled away with three more tries, including scores from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Paul de Villiers, and replacement hooker JJ Kotzé.

However, the win came at a cost as Feinberg-Mngomezulu suffered an ankle injury while scoring and was later seen on crutches, raising concerns ahead of the semi-finals.Replacement flyhalf Jurie Matthee also added points through penalties.Despite scoring six tries, the Stormers’ performance was described as incomplete, with missed chances preventing an even larger margin.They now await a semi-final clash against either Leinster away or the Lions at home, but will need an 80-minute performance to progress further.