DAVIES ALL FIRED UP AFTER SUMMER OFF
FOR Jonathan Davies, summers are rarely a time of rest and relaxation.
It’s been a long time since the Wales and Scarlets centre has not been either touring or recovering from an injury.
In fact, ever since first heading to America and Canada with Wales in 2009, he’s been non-stop one way or another through the summer months.
However, that all came to an end after he missed out on selection for Wales’s tour of South Africa.
For a man with 96 Wales caps, a half-dozen more for the Lions and many more credentials in the game, it was undoubtedly a tough blow.
“It was tough,” Davies admitted ahead of the new season.
“I felt I was playing pretty well towards the back end of last year.
“Wayne (Pivac) and I had a conversation and he gave his reasons to me and explained where I sat.
“After that it was about trying to maximise the time, get away and switch off and don’t think about rugby.
“I was able to move on and refocus quickly.
“I would love to go to another World Cup. I feel as if I can still offer something but first and foremost my form for Scarlets has to be at a very high level.
“That’s the goal and standards I have set. I want to be playing well week in, week out and hopefully that form will take care of itself for selection for the national squad.
“If it isn’t, I am just going to make sure I am playing well for the Scarlets.”
But the man known as Foxy is determined to see the positives in the situation.
“It was a good break,” he said. “I managed to get away and enjoy myself.
“Since getting back into pre-season I have loved it.
“We have been challenged at the Scarlets and the boys have reacted well and we are in a good place.
“It is the first time I have not toured or been injured in a long time so it was quite refreshing.
“I would have loved to have gone on tour but I maximised the opportunity to look after myself and get away and recharge.”
As well as getting to recuperate, Davies has also had a crack at the joys of a full pre-season, with the Scarlets’ head of physical performance Nigel Ashley-Jones putting the team through their paces.
For Davies, now 34, it’s a little much when the younger lads start to moan about their aches and pains.
“Pre-season does not get any easier but hearing 20-year-olds talking about being tired in their legs is ridiculous!” he joked.
“What is good and the challenge for me is I am still competitive with them even though I have a number of years on them. I still want to push myself to be the best in training and set the standards.
“I enjoy that aspect and it’s been good.
“Nige is full-on but what has been good is that we have been able to put the foundations in that will hopefully give us the opportunity to play how we want with tempo and without the ball have the energy to impose ourselves.” As Davies’s Test career has changed slightly in recent years, so has his position.
Pivac has seen him as more of an inside centre in recent years, leaving him to pull on the 12 jersey rather than 13 more often than not.
For a man who, at his peak in 2017, could easily be described as the best 13 in the world, there’s some slight differences in his role – but it’s not a world away.
“There are some variations but they are pretty similar,” he added.
“Players should not fit the role but the role should not fit the player.
“If you play a certain way it should not determine or be put in a box on how this is how you should play in this jersey.
“There are other aspects expected of you or how the team might want their 12 to play, whether that be in momentum or gainline or whether he is a ball player.
“It does vary, but defence is probably where the biggest difference might be.
“At 13 you have to have a good link with your wings, whereas at 12 your connection with 10 is more important.”
Last season also saw a change for
the Davies family, with younger brother James retiring from the game.
However, if Jonathan thought he’d finally escaped his sibling, he’d spoken too soon, with James taking on a role at the Scarlets as recruitment and operations officer.
“I am over the moon for him to have the role he has got,” said Davies.
“It is something I think he will be very good at and he can grow how he wants it to be.
“It is good to see him around and it shows how important he was on the rugby side that they created this for him to stick around like a bad smell!”