Unassuming Davies aims to take dynamic tour form on trip to Toulon
After a brilliant Lions series, the humble Scarlets centre is relishing French test, writes Alex Bywater
Just weeks after being named British and Irish Lions player of the series in their 1-1 draw with New Zealand last summer, Jonathan Davies was on a bus to Builth Wells. The gifted centre was visiting the Royal Welsh Show, the sort of sponsorship appearance that is the norm for an international rugby star.
Like everyone else visiting the showground that day, Davies caught the park-and-ride bus to one of Wales’ biggest annual attractions, going almost unnoticed despite his heroics against the All Blacks a month earlier. It summed up the down-to-earth nature of one of northern hemisphere rugby’s biggest stars.
Right now, Davies’s stock could not be higher, yet he remains as levelheaded as ever. “The bus was the only way I could get to the showground, I wasn’t hitch-hiking,” he told The Sunday Telegraph. “I don’t seek attention. When I meet people, they often say they don’t recognise me. I always respond by saying, ‘I don’t wear my scrum cap out in public’.
“At the end of the day, I’m only a rugby player. I have to make sure my own house is in order on the pitch. I can’t let anything off the field distract from that.”
Humble Davies is in his prime. At 29, he has 64 Welsh caps and will be one of the first names on Warren Gatland’s team-sheet when they take on Australia, Georgia, New Zealand and South Africa next month. He has started the past six Lions Tests and is a central figure for in-form Welsh region Scarlets, who begin their Champions Cup campaign away to French giants Toulon this afternoon.
Wayne Pivac’s side secured a thrilling Guinness Pro 12 title at the end of last season. Europe is the next target for a team who continue on an upward curve.
“I think we should be pretty happy with where we are in the Pro 14,” said Davies (right), who spent two seasons with
French side Clermont Auvergne before returning to Wales on a National Dual Contract. “Now it’s the big competition, and away to Toulon is a great place for us to start in Europe. It’s going to be a tough game. They’ve got a very strong and powerful squad, it will be a test for us.” The brute force of three-time European champions Toulon contrasts sharply with the Scarlets’ emphasis on running rugby. Head coach Pivac has revolutionised how the Llanelli men play, bringing the best out of the resources at his disposal.
Davies is a classic example, getting better and better last season by helping the Scarlets to their first trophy since 2004 and then taking that form into the Lions series. In New Zealand, he was sensational, challenging the world’s best side with ball in hand and astute defensive reads. However, he added: “I’m not playing my best rugby at the moment, there are improvements to make from the start of the year, but I’ve just got to be patient and keep working.
“I work hard to improve. The more I play, the better I get. In France, games are very power-orientated and slower than the Pro 14. We have to make sure we’re accurate in every phase of attack. In parts, we’ve been very good at that this season.
“We just haven’t executed as well as we should. If we do that this weekend and offloads don’t go to hand, we’ll pay the price against Toulon.”
Scarlets have won five of their six Pro 14 games this season to sit top of Conference B, but have not made the latter stages of a European tournament in a decade. Toulon, Bath and Treviso stand between them and a quarterfinal spot this term. First up is a trip to the Cote d’Azur, and the Scarlets’ win over Toulon in Llanelli last season is another confidence-booster. “We have to cut down their time on the ball, get in their faces and try to put them under pressure,” said Davies. “They’re world-class players. The more time they have, they can pick you apart. We need to test their skill-set under fatigue to see if it stands up.”