Barry Davies (Cardiff RFC rugby player)
Encyclopedia
W. "Barry" Davies was a Welsh
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Cardiff
and international rugby for Wales
, playing in one match, against Scotland in 1896.
, his hometown club and the origin of his nickname. Davies then switched to Cardiff Star, a small club team in Cardiff
, notable for producing talent such as Gwyn Nicholls
. Like Nicholls, Davies was noticed by major Welsh club Cardiff RFC
joining them before the turn of the century.
In 1896 Davies was selected to represent the Wales national rugby team for the Home Nations Championship
. Played at the Cardiff Arms Park
against Scotland, the team, and the pack in particular saw a massive overhaul after a humiliating loss to England
three weeks earlier. Davies was one of five new players brought into the eight man pack, and was joined by two Cardiff team mates in the backs, Nicholls and Selwyn Biggs
. Despite being part of the winning team, Wales beating Scotland 6-0, Davies was replaced for the last game of the tournament by Fred Miller
.
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 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...
forward who played club rugby for Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
and international rugby for 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...
, playing in one match, against Scotland in 1896.
Rugby career
Little is recorded of Davies, though it is known that he began his rugby career with Barry RFCBarry RFC
Barry Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Barry in Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues.....
, his hometown club and the origin of his nickname. Davies then switched to Cardiff Star, a small club team in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, notable for producing talent such as Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
. Like Nicholls, Davies was noticed by major Welsh club Cardiff RFC
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
joining them before the turn of the century.
In 1896 Davies was selected to represent the Wales national rugby team for the Home Nations Championship
1896 Home Nations Championship
The 1896 Home Nations Championship was the fourteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 4 January and 14 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
. Played at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
against Scotland, the team, and the pack in particular saw a massive overhaul after a humiliating loss to England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
three weeks earlier. Davies was one of five new players brought into the eight man pack, and was joined by two Cardiff team mates in the backs, Nicholls and Selwyn Biggs
Selwyn Biggs
Selwyn Hanam Biggs was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for Cardiff and county rugby for Glamorgan. Both Biggs and his brother Norman played international rugby for Wales, though they never played in the same match for Wales together. Biggs was described at the time...
. Despite being part of the winning team, Wales beating Scotland 6-0, Davies was replaced for the last game of the tournament by Fred Miller
Fred Miller (rugby player)
Fred Miller was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Mountain Ash; and was the first player to represent an international team whilst at the club when he was selected for Wales in 1896...
.