Leigh Halfpenny will make his final URC appearance for Cardiff against the Stormers this Friday, a match that could secure the Welsh side’s play‑off place. The game follows seven months of league action, with Cardiff hovering near the top eight while the Stormers sit just a point behind table‑top Glasgow.

Cardiff’s 11th win would lock the eighth spot, regardless of other results. Stormers, already guaranteed a home quarter‑final, will be chasing a top‑two finish to earn a Cape Town semi‑final. Coach Dobson praised the squad’s resilience, noting they have outperformed expectations and maintained competitiveness throughout the campaign.

Cardiff’s lineup includes Winnett, Beetham, B Thomas, Jennings, Bowen, Lloyd, Mulder, Southworth, Belcher, Sebastian, Nott, Thornton, Botham, D Thomas, Basham, with Halfpenny on the bench. The Stormers field Willemse, Hartzenberg, Simelane, Roche, Zas, Feinberg‑Mngomezulu, Khan, Mchunu, Venter, Fouche, Smith, R van Heerden, de Villiers, Dixon, Roos, and replacements Kotze, Kebble, Porthen, Moerat, Theunissen, Morabe, Ungerer, Matthee.

Referee Andrew Brace from Ireland will oversee the contest, assisted by Ben Connor and Lucas Yendle from Wales, with TMO Olly Hodges. Fans will watch a game that not only marks Halfpenny’s farewell but also decides whether Cardiff can punch its ticket to the semi‑final stage, a milestone the club has chased all season.