The Sharks have signed 28-year-old former World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Aphiwe Dyantyi for the upcoming URC season after more than four years out of the game with a drugs ban.
In the build-up for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, before Cheslin Kolbe became the hero of Springbok fans, it was Aphiwe Dyantyi who was the wonderkid of South African rugby.
However, in the Springbok World Cup training camp Dyantyi tested positive for methandienone, methyltestosterone and LGD-4033, which are all on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned substances list.
The man touted as the successor to Bryan Habana had impressed so much in his first season of Super Rugby for the Lions in 2018, that he found himself in the Springbok team against a strong England side touring that year.
Along with further impressive performances in the 2018 Rugby Championship, including being instrumental in South Africa's first win in New Zealand since 2009, Dyantyi was looking to become an important part of Rassie Erasmus' squad for the World Cup.
In February last year, he described on social media how he felt midway through his four year ban.
“This year marks three years out of the game,” he said, referring to the ban. “A very challenging three years coupled with tears, rebuilding, love and laughter.
“A trial-and-error period in my life but two business projects down the line, I wouldn't change anything about my life journey. The support has been both heart-warming and humbling.”
Dyantyi's most recent business project concerned him starting his own service business, Ngombe Business Solutions, a strategic and enterprise employment partner to Daisy Solutions
When asked how happy he felt on his return to rugby he said: “More than anything, I'm just excited to be back. I just trust that everyone is as excited as I am to see what I can do. I only promise to give my best to the jersey.
“I've been in Durban for quite some time now and I've seen what the Sharks mean to the people. I just wanted to contribute to that, and I have seen the pride that the people have, and I would like to honour that in all that I do, and the fans to see that reflected in what I do on the field.”
Dyantyi was welcomed to the Durban on social media as a new of the ‘Sharks family'. The club will be hoping that he will help them improve on their mid table finish in last season's URC.
Written by Rupert Reddish
For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.
