I’m a finisher not a mathematician, says Dyantyi

He’s not a mathematician holding a calculator to work out the permutations for this weekend’s decisive Loftus Super Rugby derby against the Bulls, Aphiwe Dyantyi proclaims with a chuckle.

The Lions and the Bulls be embroiled in a dogfight to secure a playoff spot, but the ace Springbok winger hasn’t even started to think whether the men from Ellis Park will travel to Canberra, Buenos Aires, Christchurch or Wellington for a possible quarterfinal.

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“Do I have a preference? If we as humans had our way the world would be destroyed, so you don’t always get things the way you want them,” said Dyantyi at the Ellis Park rugby museum.

“We have to use the cards we are dealt and we just have to roll with the punches.”

Dyantyi believes the logjam in the South African conference is because “everyone kind of stepped up” in a World Cup year.

“I think it’s going to be that way right through to the final. I leave the permutations to the coaches, my job is to play rugby and enjoy myself. That’s what I can control,” he said.

Following his eye-catching exploits in 2018 – he was named World Rugby’s newcomer for the year – Dyantyi admitted there were probably a lot of expectations from people on him, and it hasn’t been easy to deal with.

“I struggled with a lot of niggles at the start of the season, so credit must go to coach Swys (de Bruin) and the medical team. At one point, they gave me some time off.

“If we want to talk about form, we can talk the whole day but personally I don’t feel I’m at the level where I want to be. I’m happy currently and steadily building on that,” he said.

Dyantyi also believes he’s not guaranteed a Bok spot currently and would need to step up.

Even then the rewards might not be bountiful.

“Not even in the starting team but just to be part of the squad.”

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