PATCHELL NEW DOUBT
WHEN James Davies took a blow to the head playing against England, he thought the brother he calls “Golden Balls” had turned him over again.
Big bro’ Jonathan – three years older (28 to 31), 70 more caps for Wales ( five to 75) and a double Lions tourist (no caps v six) – has always made sure James lives in his shadow.
It was the way of things growing up in the Fox and Hounds pub in the Carmarthenshire village of Bancyfelin, where Jonathan was nicknamed “Fox” and James had to settle for “Cubby”.
The Scarlets flanker feared Jonathan had put him out of the World Cup three weeks ago, when his elder sibling accidentally bashed him at a ruck.
“I was over the moon when I got the opportunity against England,” said James, who needed at least one big game in WARREN GATLAND insists Rhys Patchell will be “fine” to travel to the World Cup despite suffering his third concussion in a year in Wales’ loss to Ireland in Dublin.
Fly-half Patchell failed a Head Injury Assessment after being clattered the warm- up Tests to convince Warren Gatland he was worth a gamble.
“Then, I took a fairly innocuous knock to the head from my brother and had to go off. I think he was just trying to keep the limelight on himself, as usual!
“Thankfully, I got another opportunity against Ireland and I took it. Now, I want more opportunities in Japan.”
Cubby – who has each letter of that nickname tattooed on his knuckles from a lost weekend in Las Vegas – reckons the Fox has been cunningly keeping the young pup out of the Wales team for years. rs.
Ask him what influence brother Jonathan
(right) may have been in squad selection for
Japan and James says:
“He’s been no influence or help whatsoever.
“In fact, because he’s always had a good relationship with Warren Gatland and I used to ask him, ‘Are you telling Gatland not to pick me?’
“I think he was more nervous about me being selected in the squad than about himself being left out.
“But, in fairness, he’s now very excited and so are the rest of the family. My mum and dad had already booked for Japan because Golden Balls was always likely to be going.
“Now, they can get to see both their sons in the squad. attempting to tackle CJ Stander in the build-up to Ireland’s first try.
Asked if Patchell will be ready to travel to Japan, Gatland said: “He’ll be fine for that. He seems OK in the changing room now.
“He’s just got to be assessed. We’ll talk to the medics about that and will, have to see how he fares So, in a sense, they’re getting two for the price of one.”
The younger Davies has always been a player with something to prove – both on and off the field.
His carefree persona has often turned some coaches against him, while his 15st frame was considered too small for an international forward.
He was part of the GB Sevens squad that reached the Olympic final in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but few felt he would catch Gatland’s eye.
“Maybe my character counted against me,” he added. “Some people had firm opinions opi about me and somet s imes those people p got it wrong.
“I’m definitely not saying that’s what Warren W Gatland did, but bu I’m the kind of person who’s been doubted all their life – over my size and my ability – and I’ve loved proving people wrong.
“Not many had me in their Wales squad going to Japan, yet here I am. I expected the worst, hoped for the best and thankfully, didn’t get the text of death.
“I work really hard on the pitch and the coaches have seen that. There’s obviously something in me they like and, hopefully, that continues.
“If I get another chance to line up with my brother at a World Cup, it will be another special day for the family.” over the next couple of days.” Scarlets playmaker Patchell this week dubbed concussion the “invisible injury”, when running the rule over a torrid year including two head injuries and a torn hamstring.
Wales looked the better team in the first half but Rob Kearney and Hadleigh Parkes traded tries before scores from Tadhg Furlong and James Ryan gave Ireland the victory that moved them to the top of the world rankings.
Keith Earls suffered a suspected thigh injury however, and head coach Joe Schmidt said: “We’ve just got to wait and see if it’s OK tomorrow.”
Schmidt toasted his final