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Jonathan Davies (rugby, born 1962)

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Not to be confused with Jonathan Davies (rugby union, born 1988).

Jonathan Davies
OBE
Personal information
Full nameJonathan Davies
Other namesJiffy[1]
Born (1962-10-24) 24 October 1962 (age 62)
Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Playing information
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[2]
Weight12 st 4 lb (78 kg)[2]
Rugby union
PositionFly-half[2]
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1982–88 Neath 88 37 313
1988–89 Llanelli[3] 33 23 11 363
1995–97 Cardiff[4] 37 14 3 243
Total 158 74 0 14 919
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1985–97 Wales 37 5 8 13 81
Rugby league
PositionFullback, Wing, Centre, Five-eighth
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1989–93 Widnes 126 78 224 4 1180
1991 Canterbury Bulldogs 14 7 36 0 100
1993–95 Warrington 66 43 232 26 662
1995 North Qld Cowboys 9 1 19 1 43
Total 215 129 511 31 1985
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1989–94 Great Britain 10 3 31 2 76
1993–95 Wales 9 3 39 5 75
Source: [5]

Jonathan Davies, OBE (born 24 October 1962) is a Welsh former rugby footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and who represented his nation in both rugby union and rugby league.[5][6] A goal-kicking backline player, he played his club rugby in Wales, England and Australia. Davies has since become a television commentator for both codes and a media personality, in both the Welsh and English languages.[7]

Biography

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Jonathan Davies was born in Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire on 24 October 1962,[2] the son of Diana and Len Davies. Davies' father worked in Trostre, Llanelli and his mother was a home-maker.[8] Davies started school at Trimsaran Primary School, where he was part of the Welsh medium class. His teacher Meirion Davies introduced him to rugby, and he started playing Sevens. Although he did not have the strong physique for the contact sport, his talent and flair for the game was recognised by many, including local great Carwyn James.[citation needed] He attended Gwendraeth Grammar School, where he met his first wife Karen Hopkins, whom he married ten years later.

Rugby union

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In 1974 Davies played for the very first time at Cardiff Arms Park, when he was chosen for the West Wales Under 12s. He started his career at amateur level with Trimsaran RFC. His father Len had also played for and captained Trimsaran Rugby Club. Age 17, Davies left school and became an apprentice painter and decorator. After developing at Trimsaran, he was given a trial with Llanelli but was rejected. Neath gave him another chance and he signed with them in 1982, selected to play at fly-half.

After 35 games for Neath, Davies was selected to play for Wales, against England at the Cardiff Arms Park. After scoring a try and a drop goal, Davies was named Man of the Match in the Welsh victory. He was made captain at Neath before being transferred to Llanelli. In 1988 Davies played a part in the Triple Crown success for Wales and between 1985 and 1997 he won 37 rugby union caps. Injuries during the 1988 New Zealand tour meant Davies captained the side in four games.[citation needed] The two tests were lost by fifty point margins, although Davies did score a 90 m (300 ft) try in the second.

Davies was blamed in the media for the surprising Welsh defeat by Romania.[9] As Llanelli placed pressure on him from the WRU to commit himself wholeheartedly to them, and despite being widely touted as the first choice fly-half for the upcoming British Lions tour to Australia, he decided for the best interests of his family to move to the rugby league team Widnes, who signed him for a record fee of £230,000.[10]

Davies was recruited into rugby league by Jim Mills and Doug Laughton. He would later return to rugby union.

Rugby league

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Widnes

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Davies commenced his professional rugby league career during the 1989–90 Rugby Football League season with defending champions Widnes. He played for them as a centre in their 1989 World Club Challenge victory against the visiting Canberra Raiders. He was selected to play for Great Britain during the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup tournament. During the 1990–91 season Davies played left-centre and scored 4 conversions in Widnes' 24–18 victory over Salford in the 1990 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 29 September 1990.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

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In 1991, Davies took on a further challenge when he spent the summer in Sydney playing in the 1991 NSWRL season for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Davies played mostly as a fullback for the Canterbury side who were struggling to make the Semi-finals. He made an impact with the 'Dogs, scoring 100 points in his 14 games for the club (7 tries, 36 goals), including a personal haul of 18 points (2 tries, 5 goals) in the last round of the season against Cronulla at Canterbury's home ground, Belmore Sports Ground. Needing a win to force a 5th place playoff with Western Suburbs, Canterbury-Bankstown got off to a slow start and Cronulla took a 16–0 half time lead. Canterbury scored 26 unanswered points in the second half to win 26–16. In the playoff with Wests, Davies first stint in Australia came to an end with Wests winning 19–14.

Widnes

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Davies played stand-off, and scored a try, 3 conversions, and a drop goal in Widnes 24–0 victory over Leeds in the 1991–92 Regal Trophy Final during the 1991–92 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 11 January 1992.

Warrington

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After Widnes got into financial difficulties, in 1993 he transferred to their local rivals Warrington. He was also named player of the 1993–94 season, winning the RFL's Man of Steel Award.

During the 1994–95 Rugby Football League season Davies played fullback, and scored a conversion in Warrington's 10–40 defeat by Wigan in the 1994–95 League Cup Final at Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield on Saturday 28 January 1995.[11]

North Queensland Cowboys

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Davies again played in Australia when he signed with the newly formed North Queensland Cowboys in 1995. He was unable to get out to Australia until midway through the 1995 Winfield Cup Premiership. He scored a full field try against the Newcastle Knights in Newcastle. Davies finished the season as the clubs top point scorer with 43 points.

International

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Davies captained Great Britain in the 30–12 win over France on 16 Feb 1992 in Perpignan.

During his time in rugby league he represented both Great Britain and Wales, scoring a solo try in Great Britain's last victory over the Kangaroos at the old Wembley in 1994 where he sprinted 50 metres to score in the corner out-pacing Australian fullback Brett Mullins. Although he left the field with a dislocated shoulder during the second half, his efforts in both attack and defence (which on the day saw him pull off two try saving tackles) saw him named as man of the match.[12] However the shoulder injury would keep him out of the rest of The Ashes series (eventually won 2-1 by Australia) as well as prevent him from playing for Wales in a friendly against the Kangaroos in Cardiff. With the Rugby Football League splitting the Great Britain team into individual nations (Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland) from 1995, the test at Wembley would be the last time Davies would represent Great Britain in rugby league.[13]

Davies' last rugby league match was as captain of Wales against England in the 1995 World Cup Semi-final at Old Trafford, which Wales lost 25–10. Playing as a stand-off, Davies kicked 3 goals for Wales taking his total score for Wales to 21 points (10 goals, 1 field goal), all scored in the 1995 World Cup.[14]

Return to rugby union

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After the birth of daughter Geena in 1995, Davies' wife Karen was diagnosed with cancer. In need of family support, and as rugby union had turned professional, Davies went back to South Wales and signed to play for Cardiff RFC. On a guest appearance on A Question of Sport in 1995 he was asked what the biggest change was after returning to rugby union. Davies replied: "It's the first time I've been cold for seven years. I was never cold playing rugby league."[15]

After rugby

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Since retiring from rugby, Davies has worked in the media as a commentator and pundit in both codes, mainly for the BBC in both the English and Welsh languages. Since 2004 Davies has hosted his own rugby themed chatshow, Jonathan, on S4C, usually before Welsh international matches. Davies was also the President of Super League side Crusaders, until 2009, when he was replaced by David Watkins.[16]

He is a supporter of the Wooden Spoon charity.[17]

Recognition

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Davies was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1995 New Year Honours for services to rugby league football.[18] In the 2015 Birthday Honours, he was promoted to Officer of the same order (OBE), "for voluntary and charitable services to People with Cancer," in recognition of his work as President of Cardiff's Velindre Cancer Centre.[19]

Playing records

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All-Time Club Performance
Clubs Season Games Tries Goals Drop Goals Points Comment
Cardiff 1996-7 Retired at end of season
1995-6
Total 9 1 19 1 43
North Queensland Cowboys 1995 9 1 19 1 43
Total 9 1 19 1 43
Warrington 1995-6 8 4 29 3 77
1994-5 29 18 104 12 292
1993-4 30 21 99 11 293
Total 67 43 232 26 662
Canterbury Bulldogs 1991 14 7 36 - 100
Total 14 7 36 – 100
Widnes 1988–89 12(4) 7 47 1 123
1989–90 29(1) 14 98 0 252
1990–91 32(2) 30 110 2 342
1991–92 24 13 73 1 199
1992–93 29(1) 14 106 0 268
Total 126(8) 78 434 4 1184
Career Totals

References

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  1. ^ ""Best player I have ever seen" - Jonathan 'Jiffy' Davies picks his all-time World XV". 4 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Statistics (RU) at en.espn.co.uk". en.espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ^ "Player: Jonathan Davies - Flyhalf". Llanelli RFC. Archived from the original on 8 January 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Player: Jonathan Davies - Flyhalf". Cardiff RFC. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Gareth Thomas completes switch from union to Wales rugby league side Crusaders". telegraph.co.uk. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  7. ^ "HALL OF HEROES: Warrington Wolves' Welsh wizard Jonathan Davies". warringtonguardian.co.uk. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  8. ^ Gray, Susan (15 March 2020). "Jonathan Davies: 'I worked in a mine six days a week, playing rugby after work'". The Telegraph.
  9. ^ Williams, Richard (7 January 2019). "Jonathan Davies: 30 years on from the day he switched to Rugby League". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Jonathan Davies 'didn't want to play for Wales' after league return". BBC Sport. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  11. ^ "28th January 1995: Warrington 10 Wigan 40 (Regal Trophy Final)". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  12. ^ "1994 Ashes series Game 1 at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Jonathan Davies - Great Britain at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  14. ^ Davies, Jonathan (22 October 2000). "Roll up and glory in the best". The Independent. London: Independent News and Media Limited. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  15. ^ "Interesting Rugby Quotes at Bleacher Report". bleacherreport.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Crusader Watkins replaces Davies". BBC News. 11 July 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.[dead link]
  17. ^ "Jonathan Gives Children's Hospital a Helping Hand". noahs-ark-appeal.org. 19 August 2006. Archived from the original on 19 August 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
  18. ^ United Kingdom list: "No. 53893". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 30 December 1994. p. 17.
  19. ^ United Kingdom: "No. 61256". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2015. p. B12.

Further reading

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