Career Record: Played 32: Won 19, Lost 13
Test Points: 81.
Tries: 5
Penalties: 6
Conversions: 2,
Drop Goals: 13.
Scored a Welsh record 13 drop goals in his 27
Internationals between 1985-88.
Jonathan was awarded an MBE in 1995.
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1985 v England (Cardiff) W 24-15 (FN)
1985 v Fiji (Cardiff) W 40-3
1986 v England (Twickenham) L 21-18 (FN)
1986 v Scotland (Cardiff) W 22-15 (FN)
1986 v Ireland (Dublin) W 19-12 (FN)
1986 v France (Cardiff) L 23-15 (FN)
1986 v Fiji (Suva) W 22-15
1986 v Tonga (Nuku'Alofa) W 15-7
1986 v Western Samoa (Apia) W 32-14
1987 v France (Paris) L 16-9 (FN)
1987 v England (Cardiff) W 19-12 (FN)
1987 v Scotland (Murrayfield) L 21-15 (FN)
1987 v Ireland (Cardiff) L 15-11 (FN)
1987 v Ireland (Wellington) W 13-6 (W.Cup)
1987 v Tonga (R) (Palmerston N.) W 29-16 (W.Cup)
1987 v Canada (Invercargill) W 40-9 (W.Cup)
1987 v England (Brisbane) W 16-3 (W.Cup)
1987 v New Zealand (Brisbane) L 49-6 (W.Cup)
1987 v Australia (Rotorua) W 22-21 (W.Cup)
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1988 v England (Twickenham) W 11-3 (FN)
1988 v Scotland (Cardiff) W 25-20 (FN)
1988 v Ireland (Dublin) W 12-9 (FN)
1988 v France (Cardiff) L 10-9 (FN)
1988 v New Zealand (Christchurch) L 52-3
1988 v New Zealand (Auckland) L 54-9
1988 v Western Samoa (Cardiff) W 28-6
1988 v Romania (Cardiff) L 15-9
In 1989, after playing 27 games for Wales,
Jonathan moved from Llanelli RU club to Widnes
Rubgy League club. In 1991 he won the Rugby
League Player of the Year award.
Jonathan returned to Rugby Union with Cardiff
at the start of the 1996-97 season.
1996 v Australia (Cardiff) L 28-19
1997 v USA (TR) (Wilmington) W 30-20
1997 v Scotland (R) (Murrayfield) W 34-19 (FN)
1997 v France (R) (Paris) L 27-22 (FN)
1997 v England (Cardiff) L 34-13 (FN)
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George Herringshaw's picture of Jonathan Davies was taken on 12th. November 1988. ©
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Jonathan Davies was one of the great Welsh fly-halves. Blessed with all the attributes of those number tens who had gone before him, it is one of rugby union's great tragedies that Davies could not be kept in the game - he switched to league in 1989. A Neath and then Llanelli player he set the Welsh club rugby scene alight and made a winning debut in 1985 playing against England at Cardiff. His vision, speed of thought, pace and magical handling skills set him apart from rivals. Six months after his debut he figured in a 40-3 victory over Fiji and played a full Five Nations.
The Pacific tour followed in 1986 but it was in 1987 that Davies reached the height of his powers. He played six games in the first Rugby World Cup in Australia/New Zealand, captaining the team against Canada. His greatest performance came in the thrilling third place play-off against the Wallabies, which Wales won 22-21. Davies then played a pivotal role in the Welsh Triple Crown of 1988. His running game cut England to threads whilst it was his two drop goals that secured victory over Scotland at Cardiff. It then began to go wrong for Wales and Davies. Problems in the Welsh game were cruelly exposed on the 1988 New Zealand tour.
Injuries meant Davies captained the side in four games and it was he alone who stood out as a class player. The two tests were lost by fifty point margins, although Davies did score an incredible 90 metre try in the second. Davies returned with ideas for Welsh rugby on how it could improve. He was ignored and after defeat against Romania at Cardiff in which he was criticised publicly by management, he decided to switch codes. Widnes signed him for £225,000. (John Lovell)
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Jonathan pictured playing for Wales on 15th. March 1997. Photo G. Herringshaw. ©
1996 - 1997.
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The devotee of Welsh rugby welcomed back Jonathan Davies to the international fold with mixed feelings. There was euphoria that the prodigal son had returned home but this was tinged with sadness in the knowledge that Rugby League - namely Widnes and Warrington - had seen the very best of Davies' mercurial talents. His brief return to the Welsh team was almost a farewell tour giving fans a last glimpse of his genius.
The perfectly timed pass, the side-step, the assured boot and the eye for the gap were all in evidence but crucially the pace wasn't. He made his return in 1996 against the touring Australians, reclaiming the number ten jersey after a gap of sixty-seven matches over eight years; the game also saw the return of another League exile in the form of David Young, who hadn't enjoyed the same success as Davies in the thirteen man game. Jonathan's kicking prowess, which saw him break records in League, was much in evidence as his four penalties kept Wales in touch. A Gareth Thomas interception try suggested a shock win was possible but Australia pulled away in the last quarter to win convincingly.
The following year saw the Lions tour to South Africa and Davies' name was only ever mentioned by the most optimistic of fans. Instead the Cardiff man toured the U.S on a six-match tour. In games against Scotland and France in the Five Nations he would figure only as a replacement. However, he got his swan song taking the fly-half spot against England in a game that turned out to be a farewell for not just Davies - Will Carling and Rob Andrew shared the stage and also bowed out from international rugby. Davies became a popular and incisive commentator for the BBC following his retirement from the game. (John Lovell
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