Ewan Davies
Encyclopedia
David Evans George "Ewan" Davies (23 June 1887 - 2 September 1979) was a Welsh
international rugby union
wing who won two caps for the Wales national rugby union team
. He played club rugby for Cardiff RFC
and London Welsh RFC and county rugby for Middlesex. Outside rugby he was a solicitor and successful businessman and owned a chain of cinemas.
and then Llandovery College
before matriculating to University College London
. He studied law, becoming a solicitor, but was also a successful businessman owning a chain of cinemas. In 1931 he built the Plaza Cinema in Swansea
, at the time the largest cinema in Wales.
Davies held political ambitions, and twice ran as a Liberal
candidate in British general elections. His first challenge was for Cardiff South
in 1924 and then Llandaff and Barry
in 1929, though he was unsuccessful on both occasions. He was also a landowner in Pembrokeshire
, where he bred Hereford cattle
.
during the 1910-11 season and remained with the club for three seasons playing 37 games. While at Cardiff he was utilised as a wing and scored 27 tries
.
Davies was first selected for the Wales national rugby union team
during the 1912 Five Nations Championship
. He was brought in at wing facing England at Twickenham. Wales lost the match 8-0, and Davies was not selected for the next two games of the tournament, a win over Scotland and an away loss to Ireland. He was reselected for the last match of the Championship, a home match against France played at Rodney Parade
in Newport
. Despite being 6-8 down at half-time, the Welsh rallied in the second half winning the game 14-8. Wales scored four tries, Davies scoring two of them. This was to be his last international appearance.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
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...
wing who won two caps for the Wales national rugby union team
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...
. He played club rugby for 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...
and London Welsh RFC and county rugby for Middlesex. Outside rugby he was a solicitor and successful businessman and owned a chain of cinemas.
Personal history
Davies was born in Cardiff in 1887 and was educated at Cardiff High SchoolCardiff High School
Cardiff High School is a comprehensive school in the Cyncoed area of Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff High School is two miles from the city centre, serving a neighbourhood of privately-owned houses. According to the 2007 ESTYN Report, "Cardiff High School is a very good school with many outstanding...
and then Llandovery College
Llandovery College
Llandovery College is an independent school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was founded and endowed by Thomas Phillips in 1847 to provide a classical and liberal education in which the Welsh language; the study of Welsh literature and history were also to be cultivated.Llandovery...
before matriculating to University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He studied law, becoming a solicitor, but was also a successful businessman owning a chain of cinemas. In 1931 he built the Plaza Cinema in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, at the time the largest cinema in Wales.
Davies held political ambitions, and twice ran as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
candidate in British general elections. His first challenge was for Cardiff South
Cardiff South (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff South was a borough constituency in Cardiff, Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1924 and then Llandaff and Barry
Llandaff and Barry (UK Parliament constituency)
Llandaff and Barry was a county constituency centred on the towns of Llandaff and Barry in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1929, though he was unsuccessful on both occasions. He was also a landowner in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, where he bred Hereford cattle
Hereford (cattle)
Hereford cattle are a beef cattle breed, widely used both in intemperate areas and temperate areas, mainly for meat production.Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford Cattle now exist in over 50 countries...
.
Rugby career
Davies played rugby through his youth, representing Cardiff High School and Llandovery. He continued playing while at university, and while in London he also turned out for Welsh exiles, London Welsh RFC. He joined first class Welsh team Cardiff RFCCardiff 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...
during the 1910-11 season and remained with the club for three seasons playing 37 games. While at Cardiff he was utilised as a wing and scored 27 tries
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...
.
Davies was first selected for the Wales national rugby union team
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...
during the 1912 Five Nations Championship
1912 Five Nations Championship
The 1912 Five Nations Championship was the third series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirtieth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby union...
. He was brought in at wing facing England at Twickenham. Wales lost the match 8-0, and Davies was not selected for the next two games of the tournament, a win over Scotland and an away loss to Ireland. He was reselected for the last match of the Championship, a home match against France played at Rodney Parade
Rodney Parade
Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, south Wales. Located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre it is primarily used for rugby matches and is the home ground of Newport RFC and the Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.-History:...
in Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
. Despite being 6-8 down at half-time, the Welsh rallied in the second half winning the game 14-8. Wales scored four tries, Davies scoring two of them. This was to be his last international appearance.