Cardiff finished sixth in the United Rugby Championship, a result van Zyl celebrates as a proud season start.

The club’s 11‑win haul included eight home victories at Arms Park, yet a lone win outside Wales left a play‑off spot fragile.

A short‑notice squad, bolstered by a 6,000‑mile flight to Cape Town, faced the Stormers’ dominant set‑piece and lost in the quarter‑final.

Despite the defeat, Cardiff sign veteran prop Scott Sio to shore up a scrum that faltered; the team will overhaul pre‑season plans to chase silverware next year.