Brian Davies
Encyclopedia
Brian Davies is an Australian former Queensland state
and Australian national
representative rugby league
footballer of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. He played in 27 Tests between 1951 and 1958 as captain on 3 occasions. He played at both Prop forward and as a Second rower and was a noted goal-kicker. His club career was played in both the Brisbane and Sydney domestic competitions.He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
In 1959 he moved to Sydney and signed on as captain with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs where he played four seasons. He returned to Queensland in 1963 as captain-coach of the St. George district side in 1963 and his final playing year in 1964 as captain-coach was back with the Brisbane Brothers club where his career had started.
in the same year he debuted in club first grade and in that year 1950, also played for Queensland against a touring Great Britain side.
He made his Test debut against France in 1951 and played in all three Tests of that series at home. He was selected on the 1952 Kangaroo tour
and played in all six Tests and eighteen minor tour matches. In 1953 he also made a three Test tour against New Zealand
. He made further Test appearances in the 1954 Ashes
series, the 1954 World Cup
, in Australia's 1955 series loss to France and in 1956 Tests against New Zealand. He made a second Kangaroo Tour in 1956 appearing in three Tests and nine tour matches and also played in the 1957 World Cup
.
His first appearance as captain of the Kangaroos was in the 1958 jubilee year of rugby league in the Ashes series against the visiting British Lions
. Davies was captain-coach of Australia in all three matches of the series which was lost 2 Tests to one. The Second Test in Brisbane is remembered for the heroic performance of Lion's captain Alan Prescott
who played 76 minutes of the match with a broken-arm, refusing to come off with his side already down to twelve men having lost five-eighth Dave Bolton with a broken collar-bone. Against all odds the British side won 25-18.
In 1980 in the inaugural Rugby League State of Origin
series along with fellow Queensland legend Duncan Hall
, Davies was invited to be manager of the Queensland Maroons
.
and ARL
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. In June 2008, he was chosen in the Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century
at second-row.
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
and Australian national
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
representative rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. He played in 27 Tests between 1951 and 1958 as captain on 3 occasions. He played at both Prop forward and as a Second rower and was a noted goal-kicker. His club career was played in both the Brisbane and Sydney domestic competitions.He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
Club career
Davies did not begin playing rugby league until he was eighteen. He was recruited purely on the basis of his size by Brisbane Brothers identity Bert Fraser to trial with Brothers in 1948. He became a regular first grader in 1950. He won a Brisbane premiership with Brothers in 1956 and captained the side to a second premiership in 1958.In 1959 he moved to Sydney and signed on as captain with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs where he played four seasons. He returned to Queensland in 1963 as captain-coach of the St. George district side in 1963 and his final playing year in 1964 as captain-coach was back with the Brisbane Brothers club where his career had started.
Representative career
Davies made his state representative debut for QueenslandQueensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
in the same year he debuted in club first grade and in that year 1950, also played for Queensland against a touring Great Britain side.
He made his Test debut against France in 1951 and played in all three Tests of that series at home. He was selected on the 1952 Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
and played in all six Tests and eighteen minor tour matches. In 1953 he also made a three Test tour against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. He made further Test appearances in the 1954 Ashes
Rugby League Ashes
The Ashes is the name given to the trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-three series of rugby league football test series between Great Britain and Australia...
series, the 1954 World Cup
1954 Rugby League World Cup
The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954 and officially known as the "Rugby World Cup". The prime motivators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the seizing of their assets by the rugby union in World War II.The...
, in Australia's 1955 series loss to France and in 1956 Tests against New Zealand. He made a second Kangaroo Tour in 1956 appearing in three Tests and nine tour matches and also played in the 1957 World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
.
His first appearance as captain of the Kangaroos was in the 1958 jubilee year of rugby league in the Ashes series against the visiting British Lions
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
. Davies was captain-coach of Australia in all three matches of the series which was lost 2 Tests to one. The Second Test in Brisbane is remembered for the heroic performance of Lion's captain Alan Prescott
Alan Prescott
G. Alan Prescott was an English rugby league footballer and coach of the 1940s, '50s and '60s, playing initially at , and then later at , or /. In 404 matches for St. Helens. Prescott scored 31 tries for a total of 93 points...
who played 76 minutes of the match with a broken-arm, refusing to come off with his side already down to twelve men having lost five-eighth Dave Bolton with a broken collar-bone. Against all odds the British side won 25-18.
In 1980 in the inaugural Rugby League State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series along with fellow Queensland legend Duncan Hall
Duncan Hall
Duncan Hall was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 1950s, singled out as having been amongst the greatest of the 20th century. He played in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Fortitude Valley Diehards and represented Queensland and Australia. He has been named amongst...
, Davies was invited to be manager of the Queensland Maroons
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
.
Accolades
In February 2008, Davies was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRLNational Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
and ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. In June 2008, he was chosen in the Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century
Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century
The Queensland Rugby League Team of the Century is a hypothetical team comprising the best players who have played for Queensland to form a team for 1909 until 2008. Rugby league in Queensland was initiated in 1909 with the Queensland Rugby Football League competition, which evolved into the...
at second-row.
Representative matches played
| Team | Matches | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | 38 | 1950–1958 |
| Australia (Tests) | 27 | 1951–1958 |
| Australia (World Cup) | 6 | 1954 & 1957 |
Sources
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
(2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney - Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
- Queensland Team of the Century named - article at nz.leagueunlimited.com