SA’s very own Special One
24-year old Dyantyi is widely regarded as the brightest rugby talent in the world
● When it comes to conjuring up descriptions for the outrageously talented Lions and Springboks winger Aphiwe Dyantyi, connoisseurs of the game and ordinary folk alike have exhausted all the superlatives — and he’s only just beginning.
He overcame early doubts that he wouldn’t make it in the big time because he is too small to develop into one of those breathtaking wingers with explosive speed, good handling, incredible knack for the tryline and natural athletic ability.
Simply put, he has the world at his feet and is now knocking hard at the door of rugby super-stardom.
But, for some reason, the shy rising star from Engcobo in the Eastern Cape does not really see what all the fuss is about because he subscribes to principles of team dynamics rather than the pursuit of individual glory.
“Rugby is a team sport and from my part it won’t serve any purpose if I become too individualistic and strive to be better alone. I prefer if we get better and achieve great things together than things being about me, because no-one can play rugby alone,” said the reluctant superstar at the swanky Hilton Hotel in Brisbane, where the Boks set up camp ahead of yesterday’s Rugby Championship against Australia.
The 24-year old, who is widely regarded as the brightest rugby talent in the world, said he is privileged and honoured by the opportunity to play at the highest level and he wants to continue learning from those close to him.
“I am grateful at the opportunities that I have been afforded. I am just looking forward to the future because I know what we can achieve as a team. It has been a blessing being part of this journey and my main focus going forward is to execute what I am learning
I want to be as good as I can be and compete against the best players in the world Aphiwe Dyantyi
Springbok winger
from my coaches,” he said.
“One of the biggest lessons that I have learnt is to have an open mind and keep on learning every week because there are always new challenges. What’s important is to keep on taking advice from other people and learning from their experiences.”
Dyantyi is often compared to Springbok legendary winger Bryan Habana and he is flattered to be mentioned in the same breath as his idol.
“I won’t lie, when I was growing up I had posters of the guy on my wall and I looked up to him. In as much as it is flattering to be compared to him, my main focus is not to try to be like him because I will never be like him. I am Aphiwe and I will strive to be the best that I can be. Unfortunately, it won’t stop people who want to compare me to him because that is just how they want to interpret it,” he said, adding that Habana has reached out to him to offer advice.
“We have had an exchange of messages recently and it is just really great to see a guy like that open up to share his advice to a person like me. I have always been one of his fans, I have always followed him during his career and on social media. I used to just ‘like’ and retweet all his stuff and now he is tagging me on some of his tweets. On my first Test, he sent me a message and I was pretty stoked up about that.”
Just like Habana, he has scored many tries in his career so far, including in his Springbok debut against England at Ellis Park, but the one that stands out is the superb solo effort he scored against the Waratahs.
In a brief moment of pure artistry, he fielded a kick deep inside his own half, then chipped it over the defensive line, collected it out of the air and then burst away with incredible pace to score at Ellis Park.
Recovery from injuries and form permitting, Dyantyi, who together with three older brothers Lubalalo, Bongani and Mawande were raised by their mother Nomhle, still has many years ahead of him, with endless possibilities.
“The question of how much I can still improve can only be answered by God.
“I want to be as good as I can be and compete against the best players in the world in big tournaments,” he said, revealing that he is looking forward to facing the All Blacks on Saturday.
“It is about testing yourself against the best players in the world and it does not get any better than playing against the All Blacks.”
Things are looking good for him but it has not always been like this as his patience was tested by the many ups and downs along the rocky road.
“My journey has had its ups and downs but I am grateful to be where I am now and I just hope to keep on progressing.”
He did not make any major impact in the junior ranks in the Eastern Cape but he ended up enrolling at Dale College in King William’s Town before moving to Gauteng, where he registered for a marketing degree at University of Johannesburg (UJ).
It was at UJ that his path crossed with former Lions centre Mac Masina, who played a role in converting him from his favourite position of flyhalf to winger.
He used to play first-team soccer at varsity. “My story is well documented on how I ended up playing soccer at varsity but I found my way back to rugby. We all have different paths in getting where we want to be and I travelled my road to get to where I wanted to be. If I look back, there was no specific time where I had a light-bulb moment to say this rugby thing is happening. It just happened, my progress steadily went up and I grew in confidence and belief,” he said.
If he is fit, the mighty All Blacks are next and don’t bet against him producing a memorable moment that will leave supporters not knowing which superlative to use — he is that special.