Gerald DAVIES

 When Welsh rugby aficionados mention the name "Gerald" in conversation, they'll only be talking about one person - Gerald Davies, arguably the finest winger of all time. In a 12 year, 46 cap career, Davies scored 20 tries for Wales and played at various times for Cambridge University, London Welsh, Cardiff and the Barbarians. He would possibly also have become the most capped winger in British Lions history had he not declined to tour in 1974 and 1977. However, despite his absence on those tours, it was with the Lions in 1971 that Gerald is probably most remembered. He and fly-half Barry John were central to the 2-1 series victory, and immortal Lions coach Carwyn James later paid tribute to their qualities; "I love an inner calm, a coolness, a detachment; a brilliance and insouciance which is devastating. Some sniff the wind - they created it." As a youth at Camarthen Grammar School, Gerald's speed had been developed by training as a sprinter, and unlike many others, he later proved equally fast in a pair of rugby boots.

Also blessed with swerve and a brilliant sidestep, Gerald's game was in total contrast to many wingers in the modern era who rely purely on strength and physical presence to achieve their ends. Indeed, after starting life as a centre, Gerald's skills were not suited to the increasingly popular "crash ball" style of the late 60s and early 70s and he was reluctantly shifted to the wing, a move that would bring the best out of him. His debut for Wales came in 1966 in Cardiff against the touring Wallabies, a side containing the skilful halfback pairing of Ken Catchpole and Phil Hawthorne. With those two in top form, the Australians defied the odds to win the test 14-11, and it was a loss of possession by the 21 year old Gerald that allowed a try to Alan Cardy. Davies also played for the Barbarians against the Aussies the following January, but was again on the losing side, this time by 17-11. (Jon Collins)

 
                                             1967-1970.

The 1967 season saw Gerald make his debut in the Five Nations Championship, and he played in all four matches, although France took the title. It was in the 34-21 defeat against England that he registered his first two tries for Wales, but 18 year old Keith Jarrett stole the headlines by scoring 19 points to equal the Welsh record. Davies missed out on the defeat by New Zealand later in the year, but was part of an East Wales side that managed to hold the All Blacks to a draw. He was also selected for the Barbarians to play the tourists but, despite leading 6-3 until late in the game, the Blacks came back to win 11-6. The year of 1968 again saw the Five Nations title go to France, but Gerald's displays for Wales earned him a place in the British Isles squad to tour South Africa. He played in only one test, an 11-6 defeat in Cape Town, but scored the try of the tour in a 14-0 win against Boland. The following year, Wales' fine crop of young players began to blossom and won three of their four matches to come out on top in the Championship. However, the Welsh were denied the Grand Slam by France who held them to an 8-8 draw in Paris, a game in which Gerald broke his arm when he was double tackled. He recovered to join Wales' tour of New Zealand that summer, but the side came back down to earth with a bump by losing both tests. It was in the 33-12 defeat in the second test that manager Clive "Top Cat" Rowlands switched Gerald to the wing, a position that he had already occupied for Cambridge University. Although the move was a great success, Gerald commented "At the time I saw it as a demotion". The final leg of the excursion brought relief in the form of a 19-16 victory over Australia in Sydney, during which Gerald scored one of Wales three tries and set up another for Keith Jarrett. The Aussies responded through tries by Phil Smith and Arthur McGill. After returning home Gerald then sat out the 1970 season in order to concentrate on his studies at Cambridge University. 

                                  1971.

After the near misses of previous seasons, Wales finally won the Grand Slam in 1971 with Gerald playing a full part, including two tries against both England and Ireland and a crucial one against Scotland. The Scotland match was an exciting game that could have gone either way until Gerald skirted round numerous defenders to bring Wales within a point of victory. Although the Scottish defence had prevented Gerald from dotting down under the posts, victory was sealed when flanker John Taylor sent over the conversion from the far right touchline for a 19-18 victory. Wales then gained revenge on Ireland for the previous years defeat with a 23-9 victory in Cardiff before wrapping up the Grand Slam with a 9-5 triumph in Paris.

With the Grand Slam in his pocket, Gerald travelled to New Zealand later in the year as part of a British Lions side bristling with talent. This tour saw Gerald at the peak of his powers and he scored two tries in the second test defeat before bagging a crucial score in the 13-3 victory in the third. Series victory was assured when the Lions held out for a 14-14 draw in the final test in Auckland. Outside of the tests, Gerald excelled in the provincial games and defied extreme skullduggery to score four tries against Hawkes Bay. The Lions' triumph was their first ever in New Zealand and was engineered by the mercurial Carwyn James, a former international fly-half who was considered too controversial and anti establishment to coach Wales. After James's death in 1983, Gerald wrote of the man who had acted as his mentor and brought British rugby its finest hour: "Rugby coaches, like the rest of us, have but a brief span. Only the blessed few are cherished. To this day Carwyn James is remembered whenever and wherever rugby is talked about." 

                                 1972-1975.

In 1972 Wales would probably have won another Grand Slam, but their decision not to travel to Dublin due to the political turmoil prevented them from completing the series of matches. Nevertheless, victories were achieved against the other three nations with Gerald scoring against Scotland and France. It was against France that Gerald supplemented his try by also preventing his opposite number Jean Sillieres from scoring with a phenomenal tackle that sent his opponent rolling into touch. Gerald also featured in the prestigious test against New Zealand in the Autumn, but was unable to break his duck for Wales against the All Blacks and his side went down 19-16. The 1973 season saw all four sides win twice at home and twice away to produce an unprecedented five way tie, with Gerald's only try coming in an easy win against England.

Later in the year he also touched down in Wales 24-0 victory over what was regarded as one of the poorest Australian sides ever to tour the UK. In 1974 Wales suffered an unusually mediocre season which included draws against Ireland and France, and a rare defeat by England at Twickenham. Gerald also played for the Barbarians against the touring New Zealanders, but the 14-14 draw was not a patch on the previous year's classic in which he did not play. After two poor years, Wales got their act together again in 1975 and won the Championship, with Gerald scoring against England, Ireland and France. However, Wales were denied the Grand Slam and Triple Crown due to an unexpected 12-10 defeat by Scotland. That year he was also elected to captain Cardiff, beating off a challenge by Wales teammate Gareth Edwards. Captaining a side from the wing is never easy, but during Gerald's tenure in charge he always tried to ensure that Cardiff's traditions of attacking play were maintained. (Jon Collins)

                                    1976-1978.

In 1976 Wales went one better than the year before by winning the Grand Slam, during which Gerald scored two tries in a heavy defeat of Ireland. The year after it was France's turn to win the Grand Slam and Davies was put out of the game in Paris with concussion following a tackle by Jean-Pierre Bastiat. Despite that loss, Wales did manage yet another Triple Crown to further assert their dominance over the other home nations. Before the game against England, Gerald and Gareth Edwards jointly held the Welsh record for tries scored with 18, and the match turned into a personal duel between the two stars to see who could break it. Edwards won the contest when in the second-half he dragged a couple of defenders over from a scrum that started a few yards from the English line. After the match Gerald protested to Edwards with a totally straight face, "Aw, c'mon Gareth, from a scrum five, you're not going to count that one are you?". That year Davies also led Cardiff to the Welsh Cup final, but his side were defeated 16-15 by Newport.

In the rounds of the same competition the following year he enjoyed one of his best ever club performances by scoring four tries against Pontypool for a 16-11 victory. The 1978 Championship proved to be the last for Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett and Gerald, but they signed off in style by winning another Grand Slam, their third in seven years. All that remained for Davies to round off his career was a tour of Australia. Unfortunately, the Wallabies had become a much more organised and motivated team since the last time Gerald had played them in 1973 and won both tests in controversial style. Davies captained the side and scored a try in each game, but Wales were denied victory in the second match when Paul McClean's late drop goal attempt was called good despite sailing wide of the posts. And so Gerald Davies career ended how it started - with defeat by Australia. However, his second try had equalled Gareth Edwards tally of 20, a record that would stand for sixteen years until broken by Ieuan Evans. In retirement words became Gerald's power in his role as a journalist for the Times. (Jon Collins)