Van Zyl has ‘positive talks’ over Cardiff top job

Corniel van Zyl has had “positive conversations” over his Cardiff future after missing out on the top job at United Rugby Championship (URC) rivals Benetton.

The South African has been in charge at the Arms Park in 2025-26 after Matt Sherratt left on the eve of the season to become an assistant with Wales.

Van Zyl admitted last month that he held preliminary talks with Benetton, where he played for eight seasons, about becoming their head coach.

The Italian side have since appointed former Wales boss Wayne Pivac, while Van Zyl has held discussions about his Arms Park role.

“I have had positive conversations with Cardiff and we will hopefully be able to say a little bit more in the near future,” said the former lock, who is under contract for another season.

Van Zyl has also been shaping Cardiff’s squad for next season and they have been linked with a move for Wales and Harlequins fly-half Jarrod Evans.

The playmaker, who came off the bench in every Six Nations game apart from the opener against England, left the Arms Park in 2023.

Recruitment is not helped by uncertainty in Welsh professional rugby but Van Zyl believes the Blue and Blacks are in good shape.

“We focused more on retention and trying to keep the players we have in the set-up, and it’s really positive,” he said.

“To look outside of Wales at Welsh-qualified players, it does become a little more tricky but we have a process to follow and we are starting to look.”

Van Zyl’s bid for the top job is helped by fifth-placed Cardiff being in a strong position to qualify for the URC play-offs.

They are one point behind the second-placed Stormers and 10 ahead of ninth-placed Connacht, but face a tough double-header in South Africa.

Cardiff take on Bulls in Pretoria on Friday (17:00 GMT) then Sharks in Durban seven days later, and have travelled with six of their eight-strong Wales contingent.

Only flanker Alex Mann and wing Josh Adams, who both started all five games in the Six Nations, have stayed at home and will not be summoned unless there are injury issues.

James Botham has travelled after he had an early introduction against Scotland and then started versus Ireland and Italy.

Centre Ben Thomas only started in round one against England, hooker Liam Belcher came off the bench at Twickenham and wing Mason Grady came on against the English and French.

The trio were released by Wales for game-time in the Six Nations’ fallow week, when they started against Leinster.