Brother’s in dog house over Cubby’s festive gift
JONATHAN Davies has been celebrating his racehorse’s Boxing Day triumph, although he still isn’t happy at being beaten by brother James during a Christmas party game.
But he got his own back on his younger sibling by booking James and his collie Desmond into a dog hotel – a trip he mischievously says his brother is less than thrilled about.
“I bought him a night’s stay in one of those dog hotels in the Cotswolds. It’s a hotel where you can take your dog,” said Lions and Wales star Jonathan.
“There’s plenty of long walks, which James will hate, so I thought it was perfect for him,” he quipped.
Desmond made headlines before Scarlets’ European Champions Cup quarter-final success over La Rochelle earlier this year when James accused his then four-month old mutt of eating his lucky underpants.
Jonathan and James grew up in the Fox and Hounds pub in Bancyfelin with the former being nicknamed ‘Fox’ and the latter ‘Cubby Boi’.
Olympic Games sevens silver medallist James is known as one of Welsh rugby’s more edgy modern characters, making headlines after having Cubby Boi tattooed on his knuckles following a drunken £1,000 bet with his former Scarlets team-mate Rhys Priestland in Las Vegas three years ago.
So, was maverick character James his normal madcap self on Christmas day?
“He is slightly different in the house with the family. I think he’s a bit more chilled out – he doesn’t have to act up to the cameras then,” grinned Jonathan.
“We are quite close as a family. He won Cards Against Humanity, so he was chuffed with that.
“It was nice being there together on Christmas Day but, unfortunately, he won at that.”
What did James get Jonathan for Christmas?
“We’re all going to one of those escape rooms as a family,” said Jonathan.
It’s a game where players are locked in a room and are given a time limit to solve a series of puzzles to get out of the room.
“If having Christmas together wasn’t enough we are going to lock each other in a room and probably drive each other crazy,” joked Jonathan.
“But it will be nice because, as a family, we don’t get to spend much time together.”
Jonathan’s horse, Potters Corner, landed an 18/1 gamble when it won the Byerley Stud Lord Stalbridge Memorial Cup Handicap Chase in style at Wincanton on Boxing Day.
Jonathan is a member of the All Stars Sports syndicate which owns the eightyear-old. The gelding is trained by Christian Williams at Ogmore-by-Sea and was ridden by James Bowen.
“Christian is brilliant. I’m chuffed for him because he’s just started up and it’s nice for him to get a big win like that,” said Jonathan.
“I have owned Potters Corner since 2014, but kept it quiet!”
Putting the brotherly banter to one side, centre Jonathan would love to be in the same Wales team as James.
Flanker James made his Test debut in Argentina last June, but Jonathan sat out the tour.
Jonathan was back in the team for last month’s historic autumn series clean sweep, but James was sidelined by injury.
“If I was to play with my brother for Wales I think it would top anything I have done in rugby, but we don’t normally stay fit at the same time!
“But both of us have to make sure, firstly, we’re playing well and our form has to warrant selection. If we work hard enough and get the form, hopefully we can get that opportunity.”
Jonathan knows all about injuries having missed the 2015 World Cup following knee surgery and the bulk of last season due to a foot injury sustained in the final minute of the clash with Australia.
And his heart skipped a beat as he saw man-ofthe-match Ellis Jenkins suffer an horrific World Cup threatening knee injury in the dying seconds against South Africa last month.
“It was one of those things. I was in the vicinity when it happened and it was a nasty one,” said the 30-year-old.
“I saw Ellis in the changing room afterwards and I asked how he was. It’s the most stupid question you can ever ask someone, but you feel it’s the one you’re compelled to ask.
“Ellis just said: ‘It’s like you from last year’. He said he was asking himself why he did it (going in for the ball with the result already in the bag).
Jonathan is ready to offer further advice to Jenkins, saying: “He’s got my number if he wants to get in touch.
“Having the experience of 2011 (Wales reached the semi-finals) .... watching 2015 was probably the worst and most frustrating experience ever.
“You want to be there or have the opportunity to get on the field. I always said I wanted to play in another World Cup and hopefully with a lot of hard work and a bit of luck I can warrant a position in that squad.
“It doesn’t last forever so, for me, it’s just making sure I enjoy my rugby and take every experience I can get really.
“We are all very fortunate in what we do as rugby players. If everything is in a good place around you, that helps.”