Flyhalf poser for Stormers
Dillyn Leyds head and shoulders above anyone for the position, but his franchise don’t think so
DILLYN Leyds wears No 11 or No 14 for the Stormers, but he could just as well wear a blank because he isn’t defined by the numerals on his back.
Leyds, 22, has made a triumphant return to Cape Town after a stint with the Western Force in Perth and has been a revelation in his first full season of Super Rugby back home.
He’s the franchise’s leading try-scorer with six touchdowns, which have showcased his brilliant vision and nose for finding space. He is neither the fastest, nor the biggest backline player around, but his 19 clean breaks this season highlight one of his main strengths.
“I think I have a natural ability to see space because I’ve played a lot of rugby at flyhalf and fullback where you have a tendency to look up and scan for space,” Leyds says.
Some of those clean breaks haven’t come from wide channels but when he has played at first receiver after second phase. As a natural flyhalf, he enjoys getting his hands on the ball in a similar way to how Cheetahs fullback Willie le Roux is often found in the flyhalf channel.
“In the future I would like to give flyhalf another shot but trying to force a change isn’t really the way to go about things right now,” Leyds says.
“I played my entire under-19 career at 10 and also two years at under-21. Even last year I was flyhalf for the Perth Spirit in the Australian National Rugby Championship and I played for about 30 minutes in Super Rugby against the Reds.
“I try to inject myself into the game because there is no point waiting on the wing and hoping that the ball comes to you. So I’ve attempted to come into first receiver so I can get my hands on the ball.
“Fleckie (Stormers backline coach Robbie Fleck) has given me a lot of freedom to use my instincts and slot into the flyhalf channel when the chance is there. But I don’t want to overplay my role.”
Leyds is burning to have a proper run at flyhalf but he will have to bide his time with Demetri Catrakilis still likely to feature in the Currie Cup before heading to Montpellier in France.
But Fleck has revealed that the coaches are thinking about Leyds as a future No 10.
“He’s such an influential part of the way that we want to attack,” Fleck said. “He brings a different dynamic there; he’s got a good pass and he likes to attack the line.
“Certainly we’ve considered him playing at 10 but there just hasn’t been an opportunity for him yet. His chance will come.”
Leyds, who weighed a meagre 70kg when he was fullback for the triumphant Junior Boks that won the 2012 world championship at Newlands, concedes that he will never be much bigger than he is now — 82kg.
So moving away from the wing, where size is increasingly important, and into a narrower, play-making role is also sensible from a physiological perspective.
He also comes with a slightly different view of the game after his Perth stint.
“My time in Perth really helped me develop mentally,” Leyds says. “I didn’t play much but I learnt a lot about patience and working on technical aspects of my game.
“The Australian approach is quite different to the South African outlook. The Aussie guys aren’t as big and naturally physical as South Africans but they are very technical.
“There is no doubt I’m a better player because I view things differently and have a hunger for learning about the game.”
There is no point waiting on the wing and hoping the ball comes