Will Davies (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Will 'Sgili' Davies was a Wales
international rugby union
player who played club rugby for Swansea
. He won four caps for Wales and was part of the Welsh side that faced the touring South Africans
in 1931.
Davies, known more commonly as 'Sgili', was originally a rugby scrum-half and centre, before moving into the forward, and eventually settling as a flanker. He faced the South Africans twice during their 1931 tour of Britain
, once with Wales and once with Swansea. In the Swansea game, Davies set up his teams only score when he snapped up a loose ball, that broke loose after a South African tackle. He punted the ball forward for Claude Davey
to beat the covering Springbok players to collect it and score a try
.
and was chosen to play against England at St Helens
. Under the captaincy of Jack Bassett
, Wales won the game 12-5, and three weeks later was chosen to face Scotland. His final game for Wales was against Ireland in a Championship decider that was lost when the normally dependable Jack Bassett missed the game's final conversion.
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...
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...
player who played club rugby 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...
. He won four caps for Wales and was part of the Welsh side that faced the touring South Africans
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in 1931.
Davies, known more commonly as 'Sgili', was originally a rugby scrum-half and centre, before moving into the forward, and eventually settling as a flanker. He faced the South Africans twice during their 1931 tour of Britain
1931-32 South Africa rugby union tour
The 1931-32 South Africa tour of Britain and Ireland was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the South Africa national rugby union team against the four British Home Nation teams. The tour also took in several matches against British and Irish club, county and invitational teams...
, once with Wales and once with Swansea. In the Swansea game, Davies set up his teams only score when he snapped up a loose ball, that broke loose after a South African tackle. He punted the ball forward for Claude Davey
Claude Davey
Claude Davey was a Wales international rugby union player who played club rugby for several teams, most notably Sale and Swansea. He was awarded 23 caps for Wales and captained his country eight times...
to beat the covering Springbok players to collect it and score 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...
.
International rugby
Davies was first selected for Wales to face the South Africans in 1931 and although Wales lost the match 8-3, Davies scored the only Welsh points with a try. Davies showed considerable skill and maturity in a debut game when he timed his move on a loose ball to pick the correct bounce to kick the ball forward and then successfully chase it over the line. Davies was back in the 1932 Home Nations Championship1932 Home Nations Championship
The 1932 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Five Nations, and prior to that, the Home Nations, this was the forty-fifth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Six...
and was chosen to play against England at St Helens
St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground
St. Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground is a spectator venue in Swansea, Wales. It is used for both rugby and cricket.It is owned and operated by the City and County of Swansea council and is also used to host the local annual Guy Fawkes night fireworks display.-History:Since the ground opened in...
. Under the captaincy of Jack Bassett
Jack Bassett
Jack Bassett was a Welsh international rugby union full back who played club rugby for Penarth. He won 15 caps for Wales and was selected for the 1930 British Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand...
, Wales won the game 12-5, and three weeks later was chosen to face Scotland. His final game for Wales was against Ireland in a Championship decider that was lost when the normally dependable Jack Bassett missed the game's final conversion.
International matches played
Wales 1932- IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
1932 1932 1931