Dallen Stanford

Dallen Stanford (born 16 May 1979) is a South African-born former American rugby union sevens player and internationally recognized rugby commentator based in the United States.[1][2][3]

He is notable as the first South African and first American lead commentator on the World Rugby World Feed for a Rugby World Cup. He was one of only four lead commentators chosen worldwide for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and again for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.[4][5]

Stanford has served as a lead commentator on the World Rugby Sevens Series since 2016, covering events for nearly a decade in the USA (Las Vegas and Los Angeles), Canada (Vancouver and Edmonton), Singapore, Hong Kong, France (Toulouse), Spain (Malaga and Seville), and South Africa (Cape Town). His coverage includes major tournaments such as the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco and the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town. He has regularly commentated on Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments and Major League Rugby on CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports, and ESPN.[6]

He has contributed analysis to rugby media outlets including Talking Rugby Union and FloRugby.[7][8]

He is recognized for his contributions to rugby development, receiving the Athletes in Excellence Award from the Foundation for Global Sports Development for community and youth work through Play Rugby USA.[9]

Early life and education

Stanford was born in South Africa and attended Rondebosch Boys' High School in Cape Town, where he played rugby alongside future Springboks Gcobani Bobo and Hanyani Shimange.[10] He studied marketing at the Cape Technikon and played rugby at the University of Cape Town, captaining the U21A Ikey Tigers side to an unbeaten season in 2000.

Playing and coaching career

After moving to the United States, Stanford played club rugby for Occidental Olde Boys, Belmont Shore RFC, and Austin Huns RFC.

At Belmont Shore Rugby Football Club, Stanford was a part of the USA Rugby National Championship-winning teams in both 7s (2009) and 15s/Super League (2007), and also runners-up in 2008 and 2010. He was the tournament's top point scorer at the USA Rugby Club 7s National Championship in 2006.[11]

He was selected for the USA Rugby Sevens in 2006 by head coach Al Caravelli and competed in twelve World Rugby Sevens Series events, also serving as traveling reserve for the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai.[12]

Stanford represented Team USA at the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel, captaining the sevens squad to gold, and served as a player/coach at the 2015 Pan American Maccabi Games, winning gold in 7s and silver in XVs.[13]

Stanford was inducted into the Maccabi USA Rugby Hall of Fame on 5 August 2023 in Chicago.[14]

He coached the Austin Huns, Austin Valkyries, University of Texas at Austin and Occidental College, leading Occidental College Men's Rugby to the NSCRO Sevens national title at the 2013 Collegiate Rugby Championship.

Rugby Broadcast Academy

In 2025, Stanford founded the Rugby Broadcast Academy, an online training programme for aspiring commentators, offering practical live event commentary experience including at Rugby Tens competitions.[15] Rugby Academy Ireland partnered with him to deliver a broadcasting and media course as part of its curriculum.[16]

References

  1. ^ "From Cape Town to Los Angeles: Dallen Stanford's rise in rugby and broadcasting". News24. 17 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Major League Rugby: Q&A with MLR commentator Dallen Stanford". RugbyPass. 28 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Eagle Alumni Spotlight: Dallen Stanford, From Playing to Broadcasting". USA Rugby. 23 August 2019.
  4. ^ "World Rugby announces commentary teams for Rugby World Cup 2019". World Rugby. 27 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Stanford Rugby World Cup 2023 Schedule". Facebook. 8 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Fly like an Eagle: World Cup brings USA Sevens full circle". RugbyPass. 18 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Talking Rugby Union: Dallen Stanford previews HSBC Sevens Series". Talking Rugby Union.
  8. ^ "Dallen Stanford to host first FloRugby Athletes Lounge broadcasts". FloRugby. 25 September 2025.
  9. ^ "The Foundation For Global Sports Development". Global Sports. 17 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Rondebosch International Sports Representatives".
  11. ^ "Dallen Stanford". DallenStanford.com. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  12. ^ "USA player pool for World Sevens Series". ESPN Scrum.
  13. ^ "Maccabi USA rugby team announced for 2015 Pan American Maccabi Games". Maccabi USA Rugby. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Maccabi USA Rugby Hall of Fame". Facebook. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Upcoming Events". DallenStanford.com. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Rugby Education". Rugby Academy Ireland. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
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