'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
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments