On a rain-soaked evening at Cardiff Arms Park, the Blue and Blacks not only ended the Irish province’s 11-game winning run in all competitions but also strengthened their push for the United Rugby Championship play-offs, climbing to third in the table and moving level on points with their beaten opponents.
For van Zyl, the result was built on control and the conceding of just three penalties in the match.
“Our discipline, I think, has been the best this season definitely and then also potentially what I can remember in my coaching experience, because we only conceded three penalties, which was massive,” said the Arms Park chief.
“They obviously conceded a few more, but it was frustrating because we had a few opportunities, especially the first half, to apply a little bit more pressure.
“But it’s always going to be tough, with knock-ons and that stuff coming into play. It wasn’t easy.
“It’s almost like a one-off game. You just felt like if you go out and try and put pressure on them, win the territory, win the possession, then we’ve got a good chance to get on top. I’m pleased with the plan and how it unfolded.
“We pride ourselves on performing at home. We want to make this place a fortress and be as good as we can at home, at the Arms Park, in front of our friends and families.”
In atrocious conditions, free-flowing rugby was always likely to be in short supply.
The swirling wind and driving rain turned the contest into a territorial battle, where patience and precision were at a premium.
The only points of the opening period came from the boot of Callum Sheedy, whose 19th-minute penalty nudged Cardiff into a 3-0 lead at the interval.
Leinster had their own setbacks. Fly-half Harry Byrne departed early with a head injury, prompting a reshuffle, while Charlie Tector – later to play a decisive role – spent time in the sin bin for a high, late challenge on Ben Thomas.
Despite enjoying promising field position, Cardiff were unable to capitalise further before the break, something van Zyl acknowledged had been a source of frustration.
After half-time, however, the hosts found the breakthrough their territorial dominance deserved.
With 54 minutes played, a loose clearance from Jimmy O’Brien allowed Cardiff to counter.
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Mason Grady made inroads down the flank before Dan Thomas surged clear and slipped the ball inside to scrum-half Aled Davies, who darted over for his first try of the season.
Sheedy’s conversion attempt drifted wide, but the home side were 8-0 ahead and sensing a significant scalp.
Leinster, beaten only three times previously in the campaign, responded with urgency.
Their cause was aided when Jacob Beetham was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on with 15 minutes remaining. Down to 14 men, Cardiff were suddenly under siege.
The visitors struck in the 68th minute, Luke McGrath finishing off a slick move that began with a line break and clever offload from replacement Andrew Osborne. Tector added the extras to narrow the deficit to a single point, setting up a tense finale.
But where previous Cardiff sides might have faltered, this one stood firm.
They managed territory astutely, drained the clock and refused to concede cheap penalties — a theme that clearly delighted their head coach.
Leinster pressed hard in the closing stages, yet Cardiff’s defensive structure and composure held.
The final whistle confirmed not just a narrow win, but a statement result. It was their first victory over Leinster since January 2022 and a crucial one in the context of the league table.
The Blue and Blacks now sit comfortably inside the top eight, with a 15-point cushion over those chasing the play-off places.
Van Zyl, though, was quick to dampen talk of bigger ambitions beyond the next challenge.
“It’s one hurdle at a time. That was the biggest focus instead of looking at the table. Ultimately, you want to collect as many points as you can in any game, and i’m just pleased with how it unfolded.”
