GRATEFUL TO BE BACK ON PITCH AT LAST – DAVIES
IT’S almost a year ago that Jonathan Davies suffered damage to his knee ligaments that completely shattered his 2019 Rugby World Cup plans. After going down against Fiji in Oita, Davies missed games against Uruguay and France before returning for the semi-final against South Africa despite not being at 100 per cent.
He did, however, feature in the bronze medal match against New Zealand but a lengthy lay-off was to come.
The injury required surgical repair and, not for the first time in his career, Davies was forced into becoming a spectator.
Last week marked his comeback from his most recent injury as he played 40 minutes in the Scarlets’ pre-season 25-15 defeat to the Ospreys in Llanelli.
His return to Parc y Scarlets – it’s the first time he’s played there for almost 18 months – was a welcome sight for all of Welsh rugby as one of the nation’s most talented stars laced up his boots once again.
The first quarter of the match largely passed him by as he felt his way into what was a very meaningful hit-out played with genuine intensity.
Davies operated more often than not as a decoy runner in midfield, attempting to trick his old centre partner Scott Williams, now in the black of the Ospreys.
But it was in the second 20 minutes that we started to witness some trademark stuff from the 81-cap man, the flashes of brilliance that make him one of the best players in the world.
He drifted off a pass, holding his run ever so slightly to let the ball beat the defender for him before surging through a gap.
Davies found the space that the Scarlets had been searching for and as the cover defence came across to haul him down, he threw lovely onehanded offload to Angus O’Brien and the Scarlets were away.
Soon after, he received a pass from Tom Prydie on turnover ball and turned to his cultured left foot, dribbling a perfectly judged grubber kick in behind the Ospreys defence, putting the pressure back on the visitors.
“It was good to have a little runout,” he said after the match. “The butterflies were there and it was nice to feel that again. All in all, I feel good and I was happy to be out there again with the boys after a long process to come back.
“I’m extremely grateful for the support I’ve had from the Scarlets staff, medical staff, conditioning staff – they’ve put a lot work into me and I’ve loved the challenges they’ve set me to get back playing.
“It will probably take time until I’m back feeling fully comfortable but, on the whole, it’s a group effort, a collective effort and I just want to say thank you to everyone who’s helped me.”
Davies was not overly worked in defence but went about his business astutely in a Scarlets side that was an experimental and largely unfamiliar one.
There were no real mistakes to talk of and few frills, just a solid return to action.
A year ago, Davies was considered the best in the world in his position and it was an opinion that had been knocked around since the Lions tour to New Zealand two years earlier.
He is not yet back at those levels after a mere 40 minutes in a pre-season hit out but he oozes a determination to get back there.
Even still, at the age of 32 and with all his caps, he is not content.
“It’s [been] an opportunity to grow and improve,” he added.
“You’re never the finished article. You strive for it but, in my eyes, I’ll never be satisfied.
“For me, it’s been an opportunity to improve as a player and get back on the level that I expect of myself. “I demand high standards.”
That will be music to the ears of Wales head coach Wayne Pivac, who travelled down to Llanelli to take in the match.
And Davies can be happy with the latest step on his comeback trail.
On the limited evidence, any fears that he may not still be the player he was a year ago are deeply misplaced.
Tom Rogers; Ryan Conbeer, Jonathan Davies, Paul Asquith, Tom Prydie; Sam Costelow, Dane Blacker; Phil Price, Marc Jones, Werner Kruger; Josh Helps, Tevita Ratuva; Ed Kennedy, Jac Morgan, Uzair Cassiem.
SCARLETS STARTING XV:
OSPREYS STARTING XV: Dewi Cross; Hanno Dirksen, Callum Carson, Scott Williams, Mat Protheroe; Josh Thomas, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Rhodri Jones, Dewi Lake, Rhys Henry; Rhys Davies, Adam Beard; Dan Lydiate, James King, Gareth Evans.