Rugby: South Africa's Aphiwe Dyantyi facing ban after second positive test for banned substances

South Africa and Golden Lions wing Aphiwe Dyantyi is facing a four-year ban after testing positive for multiple anabolic steroids.

Dyantyi - who was named as World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2018 - has pleaded his innocence since he was originally informed of the failed test on August 13, from a sample taken on July 2.

Following that positive test, the 25-year-old requested for his B-sample to also be tested, but the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (Saids) confirmed on Friday that the second sample matched the first, with banned substances metandienone, methyltestosterone and LGD-4033 all present.

Aphiwe Dyantyi of South Africa. Photo / Photosport

Dyanti said at the time of the original positive test: "I want to deny ever taking any prohibited substance, intentionally or negligently.

"I have never cheated and never will. The presence of this substance in my body has come as a massive shock to me, and my team are doing everything we can to get to the source of this and prove my innocence.

"Taking any prohibited substance would not only be irresponsible and something that I would never intentionally do, it would also be senseless and stupid."

The South African Rugby Union said in a statement: "SA Rugby, the Lions Rugby Company and Dyantyi are working with Saids, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and all other relevant authorities on the matter and no further comment can be made at this stage."

Dyanti has 13 caps for the Springboks and six international tries, all coming in his debut season. He has not featured for South Africa since November 2018, however, and was not picked in head coach Rassie Erasmus's squad for the Rugby World Cup.