Full name | William Gareth Davies | ||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 29 September 1955 | ||||||||||||
Place of birth | Carmarthen, Wales | ||||||||||||
University |
University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology (UWIST) Oxford University |
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Rugby union career | |||||||||||||
Playing career | |||||||||||||
Position | Fly-half | ||||||||||||
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Amateur clubs | |||
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Years | Club / team | ||
1977 |
Oxford University RFC Cardiff RFC |
National team(s) | |||
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Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
1978–1985 1980 |
Wales British and Irish Lions |
21 1 |
(38) (8) |
William Gareth Davies (born 29 September 1955) is a former Wales and British and Irish Lions international rugby union player.
Born in Carmarthen, he was educated in Llanelli. Davies was an all-round sportsman, representing Welsh schools at cricket and played for Glamorgan County Cricket Club's second eleven. He then studied chemistry at the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology (UWIST), later University of Wales, Cardiff, and later studied for his teaching qualifications at St Catherine's College, Oxford.
Married to Fiona, Davies has two adult daughters.
Davies played for Cardiff RFC for 12 years, during the amateur era of rugby, representing the club in over 380 games and amassing 3500 points- still a club record. His drop-goal helped UWIST win the 1976 UAU Cup Final, beating University of Wales, Swansea, 6-4. He also represented Oxford in the 1977 Varsity Match.
During this time he gained 21 Welsh caps, captaining them five times, and winning a Triple Crown. He toured with the British and Irish Lions to South Africa in 1980, and injured his knee in the second test at Bloeemfontein.He resigned from the Welsh team in 1985 after the No.10 shirt was scheduled out as A.N. Other for the game against England at home at the Cardiff Arms Park, which allowed Jonathan Davies (rugby player born 1962)|Jonathan Davies]] his first cap.
After retirement from rugby, he became Assistant Director of the CBI Wales, and then head of sport for BBC Wales from 1988. In 1994 he was appointed Chief Executive of Cardiff Athletic Club/Cardiff Rugby Football Club, where in 1995 he re-signed Jonathan Davies back from his time playing Rugby League as Rugby Union turned professional. In 1999 he joined S4C as Commissioning Editor for Sports and Events. He was also chairman of the Sports Council for Wales, and director of Welsh Affairs for the Royal Mail. In 2006 he joined the Welsh Development Agency, heading the Sydney, Australia office.