Willie Davies
Encyclopedia
Willie Davies was a Welsh
international dual-code rugby
fly half who played rugby union
for Swansea
and rugby league
for Bradford Northern
. He won six caps for the Wales
rugby union team and nine caps for the Wales
rugby league side. In 2003 he was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
.
. Davies progressed to play club rugby for Swansea and Hedingley, and in 1935 he played for Swansea against the touring New Zealand team. Alongside Tanner, Davies had an outstanding game in which Swansea were victorious over the supposedly 'unbeatable' All Blacks. Tanner and Davies were credited as orchestrating the Swansea success, even though still teenagers and attending Gowerton county school. The New Zealand captain, Jack Manchester
, is said to have passed back the message to New Zealand; "Tell them we have been beaten, but don't tell them it was by a pair of schoolboys".
It was at Swansea he was first selected to represent Wales at rugby union. Davies was capped for Wales against Ireland under the captaincy of Joe Rees
on 14 March 1936. When Wales won, thanks to a Vivian Jenkins
penalty goal, he found himself as part of that year's winning Home Nations Championship team. Davies was back the next season, playing two games in the championship though after the highs of the previous season, Wales lost all their games to end up with the Wooden Spoon. Davies missed the entirety of the 1938 tournament, but was back for the 1939 championship, playing in all three games. In the final match against Ireland Davies scored all seven points with a try
and a drop goal for Wales. His drop goal was the last four point drop goal ever scored in the Five Nations Championship
, and the last for Wales until the end of World War II. During the war, Davies served his country as a member of the Royal Air Force.
In 1939 Davies left rugby union behind, when he 'Went North' and joined professional rugby league team Bradford Northern
. He would later play rugby league for the Great Britain
, and Wales
teams. In 1946 he went on tour with Great Britain against Australia and New Zealand. He played in the tour's final Test in New Zealand and at point became a dual-code rugby international. When the Australians toured Britain the next year, Davies was chosen to represent the British team twice.
in Bradford Northern
's 8-4 victory over Leeds
in the 1946-47 Challenge Cup
final at Wembley Stadium on 3 May 1947, and in Bradford Northern
's 12-0 victory over Halifax
in the 1948-49 Challenge Cup
final at Wembley Stadium on 7 May 1949.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international dual-code rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
fly half who played rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
and 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...
for Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
. He won six caps for the Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
rugby union team and nine caps for the Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
rugby league side. In 2003 he was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
The Welsh Sports Hall of Fame is a charitable organization created to commemorate the sporting achievements and preserve the artifacts of Welsh athletes. It was established in 1980 from the memorabilia collection of Welsh radio announcer G. V. Wynne-Jones...
.
Rugby career
Davies first played rugby for Wales Secondary Schools, alongside his cousin and future Welsh captain, Haydn TannerHaydn Tanner
Haydn Tanner was a Welsh international rugby union player who also played for the British and Irish Lions and the Barbarians....
. Davies progressed to play club rugby for Swansea and Hedingley, and in 1935 he played for Swansea against the touring New Zealand team. Alongside Tanner, Davies had an outstanding game in which Swansea were victorious over the supposedly 'unbeatable' All Blacks. Tanner and Davies were credited as orchestrating the Swansea success, even though still teenagers and attending Gowerton county school. The New Zealand captain, Jack Manchester
Jack Manchester
John Eaton "Jack" Manchester was a New Zealand international rugby union flanker who played club rugby for Christchurch and represented Canterbury province. Manchester played international rugby for the New Zealand national team on nine occasions, including two overseas tours. On the 1935-36 tour...
, is said to have passed back the message to New Zealand; "Tell them we have been beaten, but don't tell them it was by a pair of schoolboys".
It was at Swansea he was first selected to represent Wales at rugby union. Davies was capped for Wales against Ireland under the captaincy of Joe Rees
Joe Rees
Joseph "Joe" Rees was a Welsh international rugby union full-back who played club rugby for Swansea. Rees made his debut for Swansea in 1919 and captained his club in the 1922/23 season. Rees would play 12 times for Wales, and captained them on one occasion...
on 14 March 1936. When Wales won, thanks to a Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Gordon James Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union player who, having taught Classics and Games at Dover College, went on to have a successful career as a sports journalist. He won 14 caps for Wales and 1 cap for the British and Irish Lions. He also played first-class cricket with...
penalty goal, he found himself as part of that year's winning Home Nations Championship team. Davies was back the next season, playing two games in the championship though after the highs of the previous season, Wales lost all their games to end up with the Wooden Spoon. Davies missed the entirety of the 1938 tournament, but was back for the 1939 championship, playing in all three games. In the final match against Ireland Davies scored all seven points with a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
and a drop goal for Wales. His drop goal was the last four point drop goal ever scored in the Five Nations Championship
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
, and the last for Wales until the end of World War II. During the war, Davies served his country as a member of the Royal Air Force.
In 1939 Davies left rugby union behind, when he 'Went North' and joined professional rugby league team Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
. He would later play rugby league for the Great Britain
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"....
, and Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
teams. In 1946 he went on tour with Great Britain against Australia and New Zealand. He played in the tour's final Test in New Zealand and at point became a dual-code rugby international. When the Australians toured Britain the next year, Davies was chosen to represent the British team twice.
Challenge Cup final appeareances
Willie Davies played and won the Lance Todd TrophyLance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
in Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
's 8-4 victory over Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
in the 1946-47 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final at Wembley Stadium on 3 May 1947, and in Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
's 12-0 victory over Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
in the 1948-49 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final at Wembley Stadium on 7 May 1949.