Jarryd Sage

Jarryd Christopher Sage (born (1995-08-18)18 August 1995) is a Welsh-qualified South African rugby union player, currently playing with Welsh Pro14 side the Dragons.^[1] His regular position is centre. Sage qualifies for Wales through his father, who was born in Newbridge within the Dragons' region.^[2]

Jarryd Sage

Full name	Jarryd Christopher Sage
Date of birth	(1995-08-18) 18 August 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Cape Town, South Africa
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	95 kg (209 lb; 14 st 13 lb)
School	Wynberg Boys' High School
University	University of Cape Town
Notable relative(s)	Doug Hopwood (grandfather) Dylan Sage (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre Current team Dragons Youth career 2013–2015 Western Province 2013–2015 Western Province Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2015 UCT Ikey Tigers 0 (0) Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2015 Western Province 0 (0) 2016–2017 Golden Lions XV 22 (40) 2017 Golden Lions 3 (5) 2017 Eastern Province Kings 3 (5) 2017 Southern Kings 1 (0) 2017–present Dragons 6 (5) Correct as of 28 May 2018

Rugby career

Youth Rugby / Western Province

Sage was born in Cape Town, where he attended Wynberg Boys' High School. He earned provincial colours at school level, representing Western Province at the Under-18 Craven Week competition in 2013.^[3]

He represented the Western Province U19 team in the Under-19 Provincial Championship in the same year, as returned in 2014 as a member of the Western Province Rugby Institute.^[4]

He was included in the UCT Ikey Tigers squad for the 2015 Varsity Cup, and the Western Province squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup, but didn't feature in either competition. In the latter half of the year, he played for the Western Province U21 team in the Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring a try for the team in their match against Golden Lions U21^[5] en route to finishing top of the log, and eventually winning the title, beating Free State U21 52–17 in the final.^[6]

Golden Lions

For the 2016 season, Sage moved to Johannesburg to join the Golden Lions. He scored three tries in thirteen appearances for the Golden Lions XV in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series,^[7] and a further two tries for the Golden Lions U21 team in the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship in the second half of the season,^[8] including the decisive try in the final to help his side to a 38–34 victory over former side Western Province.^[9]

He made nine appearances for the Golden Lions in the 2017 Rugby Challenge, helping his side to the semi-finals of the competition. He was included in the Golden Lions Currie Cup squad for the 2017 season^[10] and made his debut in that competition in their 36–43 defeat to the Pumas, making three starts in total.

Southern Kings / Eastern Province Kings

In August 2017, Sage moved to Port Elizabeth to join a Southern Kings team about to embark on their first Pro14 campaign.^[11] He did not feature during the start of their season – instead making three appearances for the Eastern Province Kings in the 2017 Currie Cup First Division – but made his debut in their eighth match of the season, a 36–43 defeat to Irish side Ulster in KwaZakele,^[12] his only appearance for the team.

Dragons

In November 2017, Welsh side Dragons announced that Sage would make the move to Newport to join the team.^[2]

External links

• Dragons profile

Personal life

Sage is the grandson of Doug Hopwood, a rugby player that represented the South Africa national rugby union team in 22 test matches between 1961 and 1965.^[13] His older brother Dylan is also a professional rugby union player, representing the South Africa Sevens team since 2015.^[14]

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Jarryd Sage". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
2. "Centre Sage joins Dragons" (Press release). Dragons. 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
3. "2013 WP U18 Craven Week team" (Press release). Western Province. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
4. "Cream of the crop chooses WPRI" (Press release). Western Province. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Golden Lions U21 38–44 Western Province U21". South African Rugby Union. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 52–17 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
8. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2016 SA Rugby U21 Provincial Champs". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U21 34–38 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
10. "Squad: Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
11. "Deon Davids to lead exciting Southern Kings team in Guinness PRO14" (Press release). Southern Kings. 15 August 2017. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
12. "Diack late show snatches victory for Ulster over Southern Kings in classic". Guinness Pro14. 4 November 2017. Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
13. "Dylan Sage – The Ikeys most recent 7's Springbok". Ikey Tigers. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
14. "Cape Sevens 'good pressure' for Sage and Blitzboks". IOL Sport. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2017.