The DHL Stormers went down 22-16 in their last match of the Vodacom URC league season against Cardiff.
With a home quarterfinal secured before kick-off and one bonus point earned at the Cardiff Arms Park, the DHL Stormers finish the regular season with 60 log points, and have to wait for other results on Saturday to determine who they face in their first knock-out match at DHL Stadium.
The visitors made a strong start, winning a series of scrum penalties before lock Adre Smith forced his way over for the opening try.
Cardiff responded with tries from wings Beetham and Bowen to take the lead on the 20-minute mark.
The DHL Stormers kept in touch with a penalty from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, but were reduced to 14 men when Smith was shown a yellow card late in the first half for a high tackle.
Cardiff scored their third just before the break to take a 17-10 advantage into half-time.
The DHL Stormers were first to score in the second half as Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked a second penalty, but Cardiff responded with a second try from Beetham to secure their bonus point and make it 22-13.
The DHL Stormers threw absolutely everything at the home side in the dying stages to try and snatch a win, but in the end had to settle for one last penalty to claim the solitary bonus point for their efforts.
The scorers:
For Cardiff:
Tries: Beetham 2, Bowen, Lloyd
Con: Lloyd
For DHL Stormers:
Try: Smith
Con: Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Pens: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché (captain), 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Keke Morabe, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.
