Ex-Aus U20s flyer Dylan Riley on the rugby journey he ‘wouldn’t change’

South African-born Japan centre Dylan Riley had already faced the Wallabies three times before taking the field in Townsville on August 15. The former Australia U20s back trekked a unique rugby path which led to that Test, but Riley “wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Harry Hockings was selected in the same Australia squad for the 2017 World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia, but those two were draped in red and white earlier this month, both scoring one try each against some of their age-grade teammates.

Riley moved to Australia at about 10 years of age, going on to impress for the prestigious GPS First XV at The Southport School in Queensland. Australia age-grade opportunities followed, but the utility back couldn’t land a train-and-trial deal with a Super Rugby side.

The Durban-born talent had actually played some matches for Brisbane City in the NRC before heading overseas, joining Japan Rugby League One powerhouse Panasonic Wild Knights, in what ended up being a life-changing opportunity.

Riley has been with the Wild Knights ever since, even debuting for the Brave Blossoms in that time, fittingly against the Wallabies in October 2021. The now 29-year-old was later selected in Japan’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and continues to be a mainstay of the starting side at outside centre.

“Definitely a different journey but one looking I wouldn’t change it for anything,” Riley told RugbyPass and Kyodo News in Townsville earlier this month.

“Parents decided to move to Australia at a young age, about 10, just for better opportunities. Australia’s a country that gave me the start of my career. That’s where I started playing rugby and learned a lot of my rugby.

“But Japan’s the one that gave me the opportunity to further that and give a kid the chance to live out his dreams of playing professional rugby.

“Went through the systems, 20s, stuff like that, and then after that finished just looked around for Super Rugby contracts or train-and-trail stuff but nothing really came up and an opportunity in Japan came up,” he added.

“I was still young and probably needed something, a little bit of change to help realise exactly what I wanted to do with rugby. I think it was just a really good time to move and try something new.”

Riley debuted for Japan as a replacement off the bench, before earning a couple of starts on the wing against Ireland and Portugal. Back at club level, the utility back helped the Wild Knights take out the top prize in Japan rugby once again.

The Wild Knights went to the next two Japan Rugby League One deciders, losing to the Kubota Spears and then Richie Mo’unga’s Toshiba Lupus Tokyo, before bowing out in the semi-finals of the last two campaigns.

But Riley continues to evolve as a physical centre for the Wild Knights and Brafe Blossoms, helping suited up in other big matches like Autumn Nations Series showdowns and Japan XV matches against the All Blacks XV.

“Looking back in Australia, I’ve obviously always been that direct ball-player, just running lines and more direct. Moving to Japan, a lot of people say that the speed of the game and the skill set, it’s very different,” Riley reflected.

“Just being able to incorporate those things into my game but still have that mindset of playing direct and using my strengths, speed, it’s just been very helpful and definitely helped me get to the point where I am today.”

Japan were beaten by eventual semi-finalists England and Argentina during pool play at the last Men’s Rugby World Cup, with Riley featuring in four matches. The decision to select Riley on the bench for the England Test speaks to the impact the versatile back can have late in matches.

With Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia about 13 months away, that tournament looms as a goal for all players to participate in. There’s still so much rugby to be played between now and then, but it’s an event Riley said would be “very special” to be part of.

“To be able to get picked or play in a World Cup, that in itself is special. To do it for a country that’s given me everything; it’s given me a family, it’s given me opportunities that I would never have expected.

“To do it for them, to do it for Japan, and do it for and play in a country that let me start my journey of rugby. If I do get to be able to do that, it’s going to be a very special moment for me and my family.”