Jonathan Davies (rugby, born 1962)

Biography

Jonathan Davies was born in Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire, the son of Diana and Len Davies, who worked in Trostre, Llanelli. He started his career in rugby union at amateur level with Trimsaran and was later recruited into rugby league by Jim Mills and Doug Laughton. He would later return to rugby union. Len also played for, and captained Trimsaran Rugby Club.

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. He attended Gwendraeth Grammar School, where he met his first wife Karen Hopkins, who he married ten years later. In 1974 Davies played for the very first time at Cardiff Arms Park, when he was chosen for the West Wales Under 12s.

Rugby union

Age 17, Davies left school and became an apprentice painter and decorator. After developing at Trimsaran RFC, 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 he 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.

Jonathan was made captain at Neath before being transferred to Llanelli. In 1988 he 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. The two Tests were lost by fifty point margins, although Davies did score a 90-metre try in the second. Davies was blamed in the media for the surprising Welsh defeat by Romania. As Llanelli placed pressure on him from the WRU to commit himself wholeheartedly to them, 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.

Rugby league

During the 1989–90 Rugby Football League season he played for defending champions Widnes at centre in their 1989 World Club Challenge victory against the visiting Canberra Raiders. In 1991 he took on a further challenge when he spent the summer in Sydney playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Jonathan Davies played left-centre, i.e. number 4, and scored 4-conversions in Widnes' 24-18 victory over Salford in the 1990 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1990–91 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 29 September 1990.

Jonathan Davies played stand-off/five-eighth, 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, and played fullback, and scored a conversion in Warrington's 10-40 defeat by Wigan in the 1994–95 Regal Trophy Final during the 1994–95 season at Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield on Saturday 28 January 1995.

After Widnes got into financial difficulties, in 1993 he moved to their local rivals Warrington. During his time in rugby league he represented both Great Britain and Wales, scoring a solo try in Great Britain's last defeat of 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. Unfortunately 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.

He was also named player of the 1993–94 season, winning the RFL's Man of Steel Award.

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 at 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.

Australia

Davies had small stints playing with Australian rugby league team the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 1991. Davies played mostly at fullback for the Bulldogs 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, the Bulldogs 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.

Davies next played in Australia when he signed with new club the 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.

Return to rugby union

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."

In 1996 Davies was awarded an MBE and went with his family to Buckingham Palace to collect his award. In 1997, his wife Karen died.

After Rugby

Since retiring from rugby, Davies' cross-code technical knowledge of rugby tactics has enabled him to gain media work commentating and reviewing rugby games in both codes. He has worked as a television pundit for the BBC covering both rugby codes, 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.

He is a supporter of Wooden Spoon charity.

Davies was also the President of Super League side Crusaders, until 2009, when he was replaced by David Watkins.

Honours

In 2015 Davies was awarded the OBE for his charitable services to people with cancer through his role as president of Cardiff's Velindre Cancer Centre. He has raised the Centre's profile as well as raising more than £10 million.