Glyn Davies (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Glyn Davies was a Welsh
international rugby union
fly-half who played club rugby for a large selection of clubs but most notably for Pontypridd
and Cambridge University
. He won eleven international caps for Wales
including a win over the touring 1947 Australia team. Described as a mercurial outside half, Davies was notable for his sidestep and ability to change pace and direction with ease.
He was the brother-in-law of Welsh opera singer Sir Geraint Evans
.
and sporadically he played for other more notable teams, playing his first game of four for Cardiff
in the 1945/46 season. He joined Pontypridd where his natural ability was polished by endless training sessions under the tutor ship of groundsman Dick Coates. It was while with Pontypridd that Davies was first called to the Wales national squad. His first cap was against Scotland
in the 1947 Five Nations Championship
, partnered at fly half with Haydn Tanner
. Wales were comfortable winners, but the next game Davies was replaced by Billy Cleaver
and Davies failed to be reselected for the rest of the campaign. In December 1947 Davies was chosen for his second Welsh international game, a 6-0 victory over the touring Australian team, this time partnered with Handel Greville
.
When Davies matriculated to St Catharine's College, Cambridge
he gained a place in the Cambridge University rugby team
, and won three sporting 'Blues' by playing in the three Varsity matches
between 1948 and 1950. 1948 also saw Davies play the entirety of the Five Nations Championship
, linking again with Tanner in all four matches. During the 1948/49 season Davies was selected to play for touring invitational team the Barbarians
. 1949 saw Davies play in three of the Five Nations Championship
matches, yet again in partnership with Tanner. The 1949 encounter against England is recognisied as one of his finest displays. During the match, he took advantage of Tanner's trade mark long passes to cut through the English defence to set up two tries
for Les Williams
. Davies was replaced by Cleaver in the Ireland encounter of 1949, and the next season
the Welsh selectors decided to adopt Cleaver and Rex Willis
at the half back positions.
Although not selected for Wales in 1950, Davies was made captain of the Cambridge University team that season, and led the team to a win over Oxford University
at that year's Varsity Match. Neither team showed much quality in their play, though it is reported that Davies' 'erratic brilliance' was seldom offered full scope by his partner or his forwards.
In 1951, Davies played eleven games for Newport, entering the team as a short term replacement for regular Newport fly-half Roy Burnett
, who was forced to withdraw from the team after an injury. 1951 was also the final year of Davies' international career. Called into the Wales squad for the two opening matches of the 1951 Five Nations Championship
, and partnered by Willis, he was replaced by Cliff Morgan
and never represented Wales again. In the 1950s Davies turned out for Clifton and Bristol
and played county rugby for Yorkshire.
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...
fly-half who played club rugby for a large selection of clubs but most notably for Pontypridd
Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
and Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
. He won eleven international caps 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...
including a win over the touring 1947 Australia team. Described as a mercurial outside half, Davies was notable for his sidestep and ability to change pace and direction with ease.
He was the brother-in-law of Welsh opera singer Sir Geraint Evans
Geraint Evans
Sir Geraint Llewellyn Evans was a Welsh baritone or bass-baritone noted for operatic roles including Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and the title roles in Falstaff and Wozzeck...
.
Rugby career
Davies first played rugby as a schoolboy for Pontypridd Grammar School, at after the end of the Second World War, while still a schoolboy he represented a Welsh team in two Victory internationals. Davies played his early club rugby for local team Cilfynydd RFCCilfynydd RFC
Cilfynydd Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Cilfynydd in Pontypridd, Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues..-Club badge:...
and sporadically he played for other more notable teams, playing his first game of four 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...
in the 1945/46 season. He joined Pontypridd where his natural ability was polished by endless training sessions under the tutor ship of groundsman Dick Coates. It was while with Pontypridd that Davies was first called to the Wales national squad. His first cap was against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in the 1947 Five Nations Championship
1947 Five Nations Championship
The 1947 Five Nations Championship was the eighteenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-third series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between 1...
, partnered at fly half with Haydn Tanner
Haydn Tanner
Haydn Tanner was a Welsh international rugby union player who also played for the British and Irish Lions and the Barbarians....
. Wales were comfortable winners, but the next game Davies was replaced by Billy Cleaver
Billy Cleaver
William 'Billy' Cleaver was a Welsh international fly-half who played club rugby for Cardiff. He won 14 caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand...
and Davies failed to be reselected for the rest of the campaign. In December 1947 Davies was chosen for his second Welsh international game, a 6-0 victory over the touring Australian team, this time partnered with Handel Greville
Handel Greville
Handel Greville was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for a large selection of clubs but most notably for Llanelli...
.
When Davies matriculated to St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
he gained a place in the Cambridge University rugby team
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
, and won three sporting 'Blues' by playing in the three Varsity matches
The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
between 1948 and 1950. 1948 also saw Davies play the entirety of the Five Nations Championship
1948 Five Nations Championship
The 1948 Five Nations Championship was the nineteenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-fourth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between...
, linking again with Tanner in all four matches. During the 1948/49 season Davies was selected to play for touring invitational team the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. 1949 saw Davies play in three of the Five Nations Championship
1949 Five Nations Championship
The 1949 Five Nations Championship was the twentieth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-fifth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between 15...
matches, yet again in partnership with Tanner. The 1949 encounter against England is recognisied as one of his finest displays. During the match, he took advantage of Tanner's trade mark long passes to cut through the English defence to set up two 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...
for Les Williams
Leslie Williams
William Leslie "Les" Thomas Williams was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s who at representative level played rugby union for Wales, and at club level for Llanelli RFC, and Cardiff RFC, playing at Wing, or Centre, i.e...
. Davies was replaced by Cleaver in the Ireland encounter of 1949, and the next season
1950 Five Nations Championship
The 1950 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-first series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-sixth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between...
the Welsh selectors decided to adopt Cleaver and Rex Willis
Rex Willis
Rex Willis was a Welsh international rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby for Cardiff and invitational rugby for the Barbarians...
at the half back positions.
Although not selected for Wales in 1950, Davies was made captain of the Cambridge University team that season, and led the team to a win over Oxford University
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
at that year's Varsity Match. Neither team showed much quality in their play, though it is reported that Davies' 'erratic brilliance' was seldom offered full scope by his partner or his forwards.
In 1951, Davies played eleven games for Newport, entering the team as a short term replacement for regular Newport fly-half Roy Burnett
Roy Burnett
Roy Burnett was a Wales international rugby union player who also played for the Barbarians.Burnett made 373 appearances for Newport RFC...
, who was forced to withdraw from the team after an injury. 1951 was also the final year of Davies' international career. Called into the Wales squad for the two opening matches of the 1951 Five Nations Championship
1951 Five Nations Championship
The 1951 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-second series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the fifty-seventh series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
, and partnered by Willis, he was replaced by Cliff Morgan
Cliff Morgan
Cliff Morgan is a former Welsh rugby union player who played for Cardiff RFC and earned 29 caps for Wales between 1951 and 1958.-Rugby career:...
and never represented Wales again. In the 1950s Davies turned out for Clifton and Bristol
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
and played county rugby for Yorkshire.