Exiled Davies closing in on fourth World Cup

PHIL Davies admits there is not much chance of a return to Welsh rugby despite leading Namibia to the verge of a sixth successive World Cup appearance.

The 54-year-old is hoping to make it four tournaments as a player or coach in Japan next year with Namibia just one win away from competing on the global stage once again.

A 58-28 victory over Zimbabwe sealed a seventh straight African Gold Cup win and Davies is hoping his side make it four consecutive titles when they host Kenya on Saturday.

It’s a winner-takes-all shoot-out for a ticket into a World Cup pool alongside back-to-back champions New Zealand, South Africa, and Italy at stake.

It’s some prize and one Davies is determined to seal. Still, he realises his potential achievement is unlikely to result in him returning to his homeland.

“It’s disappointing there are no Welsh coaches leading a region at the moment with no disrespect to those currently in charge,” Davies, below, told TRP.

“There are plenty of good Welsh coaches around and we could have a number at the World Cup next year.

“Leigh Jones is involved with Hong Kong who are hoping to qualify. Kingsley Jones is helping Canada, I’m hoping to be there with Namibia, and Lyn Jones is now coaching in Russia. “I know I’ve had chances at Welsh regions and they haven’t gone as well as I would have liked, but I believe I am a better coach now than I have ever been. You learn from every experience and perhaps the circumstances that surrounded my time at the Scarlets and Cardiff Blues contributed to my downfall. “As a player and coach I’ve won 14 cup finals, 25 league titles, and been involved in more than 2,200 games. I played at two World Cups, coached at two U20 World Cups, and I’m now looking to take Namibia to a second World Cup finals. In soccer they seem to value experience, good and bad, far more than they do in rugby. Once you lose a job in rugby people, tend to brand you a failure and it sticks with you.”

Davies has spent the past four years helping the ambitious Namibia Rugby Union to develop their playing structure and broaden their playing base.

The former Leeds and Blues boss led the Scarlets to the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup and has shown his expertise in helping Namibia to 23rd in World Rugby’s rankings despite the country having only 890 players to call on.

Time in Africa has taken Davies back to his coaching roots, but this is a man who remains determined to mix it with the best around. He is just one game away from going head-to-head with All Blacks boss Steve Hansen for the second straight World Cup.

“We are in a good position and it would be a huge achievement for us to return to the World Cup finals and line-up against the teams in Pool B,” Davies said.

“We’ve been the African champions for the past three years and we want to make it four in a row and to make it to Japan undefeated. We’ve got all bar two of our best players available, but 17 of our match day 23 played at the last World Cup.

“We’ve built more strength in depth with greater options in key positions.We picked up our first point at the World Cup in 2015 and the aim if we make it next year is to pick up our first win.”