It’s the middle of the Six Nations and a Welsh winger called Dyer is making the news, but this week it’s been Duane rather than Rio hitting the headlines.
Video footage of his Superman try for Bargoed against Beddau has gone viral with hundreds of thousands watching his spectacular effort in last Saturday’s Championship clash.
It was a score his younger brother, Wales star Rio, would no doubt have been proud of, with Duane diving through the air and grabbing the ball at full stretch off a cross-kick before touching down.
The 32-year-old builder says his phone has gone into meltdown since the video was posted online.
Reflecting on the try, he said: “I came on as a sub five minutes into the second half and I had been on for about 10 minutes when it happened. The kick was absolutely spot on to be fair. Josh [Prosser] gave me the nod before he did it, so I was aware it was coming. But, as it was going, I was looking up thinking ‘am I going to get this?’
“It’s one of those things you try at training where you chance going for those balls and nine times out of 10 it doesn’t come off, you just end up falling in a pile on the floor. But I kept my eye on it and I thought ‘oh, I’ll go for it’ and hit and hope.
“Literally as I jumped it hit my hand and I was like ‘oh, better grab it then’. As I caught it, I felt it come in my one hand, but I was still in mid-air and had to get two hands on it and finish it off.
“The only time I thought I got it right was when I actually landed on the floor and it was still in my hand. It was perfect in the end. I couldn’t have got it better. As I was getting up, I thought ‘oh, that actually came off’.”
So what has he made of the try going viral with so many people in Wales and beyond seeing it?
“It’s been a bit of a shock for me," he added. "I watched it a couple of times, but that was about it. I didn’t think it would go any further. But my phone has just blown up everywhere.So it’s a been a complete shock, but I’m glad it’s been seen.”
And what has been Dragons speedster Rio’s reaction?
“He popped over the house on Sunday," he revealed. "We were having a chat about it and he was laughing. He shrugged his shoulders and said ‘yeah, it was alright’. Maybe he can do the same if not better when he gets out on the field next!”
A product of St Joseph’s RFC, in Duffryn, Newport, Duane went on to have spells with Cross Keys and Newbridge before joining Bargoed. He has touched down plenty of times over the years, but his acrobatic effort in the 31-17 win over Beddau has surpassed his previous scores.
“That’s by far my best try. That’s the one to go out on! That’s for the reels,” he said.
As for whether he will now sign off on that score or carry on next season, he replies: “Never say never. It’s more enjoyable to watch the game now for me because I get to watch my brother, which is amazing for me. I love doing that just as much as playing.”
There’s a nine-year gap between the two of them, with the five-times-capped Rio now 23, while they have an elder sister, Dominique.
Reflecting on his bond with his younger brother, Duane said: “Anybody who played with me over the years will remember Rio because he was the little boy on the side of the field watching me play. He was only tiny in his little subs suit, but he was one of the boys. He always followed me round.
“As he got bigger, we would play in the garden and we still do to this day. We still go out and pass to each other and try and tackle each other. It’s always been like that for us, even though it’s quite a bit of an age gap. I have always supported him and pushed him to go further than I ever could and he has done that.
“We used to race in the street and I would always be quicker than him, but when he was about 15 he really started to pick up the pace. He was on my heels and I couldn’t get away from him. Then ever since he was about 16, he was just electric and he was gone. I was like ‘there we are, I can pass the baton on now’.”
The family have followed Rio’s progress with great pride, culminating in his try-scoring debut for Wales against New Zealand back in November.
“It was incredible. There were 18 of us who went to watch that game,” said Duane.
“Him being on the field was a bit surreal for us all. We were watching him and just thinking 'this is crazy'. When he went over, we all started crying. It was just amazing. It was everything you could have imagined and more that day.
“All the family are super proud of him. He just keeps trying and surpassing everything we can ever expect of him. We are all absolutely in awe of him and love him to bits. He has got a lot of support with the family, so it’s really good.
“He has worked so hard, overcoming injury, and he deserves absolutely everything. He is always working to get better. He is just amazing. Rio is very grounded and level-headed, to be fair to him. He doesn’t like too much fuss. He doesn’t play rugby to be famous, but to enjoy it. He doesn’t do the big-time. He is very chilled, very calm.”
As for Duane, it’s been back to the building day job since his weekend heroics - which has meant working on Rio’s house in Bassaleg.
But, all the while, the views of that sensational score of his go up and up.
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