'My father is from Cardiff' - Meet Dylan Sage, the ProD2 flyer with Test dreams
Centre has become a problem position for Wales with head coach Wayne Pivac having tried 13 different midfield combinations so far in his three-year tenure. Wales’ midfield struggled to unlock defences during this years’ Six Nations campaign with their attack unsuccessful in unleashing a potentially world class back three which includes Liam Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Louis Rees-Zammit, and Josh Adams.
The likes of Willis Halaholo, Nick Tompkins, Owen Watkin, Jonathan Davies, and Johnny Williams all have their strengths but finding the right balance in the middle of the park has eluded Pivac and his attack coach Stephen Jones.
But as of December, Wales will have another potential option in the shape of former South Africa Sevens international Dylan Sage. The man from Cape Town last played Sevens for the Blitzboks in 2018, and under World Rugby’s recently revised eligibility laws can throw his lot in with Wales courtesy of his Cardiff born father.
Sage, who currently plies his trade for Montauban in the French ProD2 is passionate about his Welsh roots. “If I can reach my goal of playing test rugby that would be a dream for me,” he said. “Playing test rugby is my goal and running out for Wales would really appeal to me as my father is from Cardiff, and even speaks some Welsh.
“I played with Cheslin Kolbe, Kwagga Smith, Francois Hougaard, Juan De Jong, Seabelo Senatla, and Rosco Specman at Sevens. They’ve all gone on to play a high level of rugby union so that’s given me the motivation to go and achieve something similar.
“You have to be very good to play Sevens for South Africa, so now I want to make my mark on the 15 a side game. I think I’ve got the attributes to play test rugby and playing rugby in the UK in either the English Premiership or for a Welsh region is something I want to explore.”
Sage, who currently plies his trade for Montauban in the French ProD2 is passionate about his Welsh roots. While he is a proud South African who has come through the system in his homeland Wales was always a big part of his household growing up. His grandparents Mike and Pat Sage, along with his father Chris emigrated to South Africa in the 1980s to run an electronics business.
Despite being over 8,000 miles away from home, they retained strong links to Wales which rubbed off on Dylan and his brother Jarryd. “I still have some family in Wales, on my father’s side,” he said. “Some of my grandmother’s sisters are still there and some of their husbands. And some of their kids are still that side of the world.
“Growing up me and my brother were always told stories of Wales from my dad, and then my grandparents. Obviously, being South African the Springboks were everything to me, but watching Wales play was also very special.
“It used to be a bit more of a fight in our house back in the old days. I think my grandfather was still really support the Welsh as much as he can. I think my father kind of gets torn, he is more of the Springbok side now.
“I was born in South Africa and so I always supported the Springboks, but I do have that affiliation with Wales. I do always want Wales to do well, and I like to support them.
“I think it was my grandfather and grandmother, they moved over, so my father’s mum and dad moved over when the television age was coming through. They were sort of bringing TV and all of that stuff to South Africa.
“They opened their own business in South Africa and have been there ever since.” Sage made 134 appearances for the Blitzboks, scoring 155 points, while he was part of the squad which won a Bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. But he eventually decided to throw his lot in with the XV a side game, impressing for the Bulls in Super Rugby before upping sticks and heading for the Northern Hemisphere. So, what’s his point of difference over other players?
“I’ve got a good defensive mind and I read an attack quite well,” he said. “I can see where I need to make my tackles, and just work along the defensive line. “As a 13 it can be as if you are on an island somewhere by yourself, so you have to make quick reads and be able to communicate. I’m a direct ball runner, and I’ve got good skills from my time playing sevens.
“The one thing that helped me with the Sevens is picking up those extra skills which perhaps you wouldn’t get just playing one position. I think being the size that I am, I’m not a small guy at 6’2 and 100 kilos, so I can well manage in the contact area.
“I’ve got quick feet, and I can move quite quickly. I think I’m a good leader, and I communicate very well with people.”
The 30-year-old is coming to the end of his contract in France and is considering his next move. There has been interest from several Gallagher Premiership clubs, along with a host of French sides. Pivac has made good use of Welsh rugby’s exiles programme with the likes of Will Rowlands, and Nick Tompkins now mainstays of the Wales side while South African born hooker Bradley Roberts was a shock selection last autumn.
Sage wants to make an impact at club level to position himself for higher honours.
“I’d love to play in the English Premiership or the United Rugby Championship,” he said. “There’s plenty of miles left in me, and I want to prove myself. “I’m ambitious and even though I’d be considered as an older player there’s plenty of miles left in the tank. Playing sevens at such a high level has given me a skillset that some other players don’t have, and I think it could have prolonged my career.
“You look at someone like Hadleigh Parkes who made such an impact for Wales when he was in his 30s. My focus is performing at club level, and whatever happens after that is a bonus.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments