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'I had a missed call from Gats - he said 'can you jump on a plane tomorrow?''
Bradley Davies was set to play a PRO14 game in Belfast last week before a missed call from Wales boss Warren Gatland drastically changed his plans.
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Davies is settling into life with Wales’ World Cup squad after flying to Japan as replacement for an injured Cory Hill at the Rugby World Cup.
Dragons lock Hill could not recover from a stress fracture in his leg, so 65 times-capped Ospreys forward Davies was summoned.
“I was pretty rushed last week, to be fair,” Davies said, at Wales’ lakeside base in Otsu.
Wales' improvement in the last 18 months was exemplified by their ability to close out a game that historically, they would have more than likely lost, says @OwainJTJones https://t.co/5Xua1hkCnA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 30, 2019
“I was in Ospreys training preparing for the Ulster game. I had just finished in the gym, and I had a missed call from ‘Gats’. I guessed then – unless I had done something really bad!
“I called him back and he said ‘can you jump on a plane tomorrow?’ I went home, kissed my wife and kids goodbye and was straight in the car.”
Davies, 32, missed out on a place in Wales’ Word Cup squad, but he will offer considerable experience provided by a 10-year Test career.
“It was disappointing not to get picked at the start, but I think the way the summer went for me, I didn’t get a chance to put my best foot forward,” he added.
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“I didn’t train as much as the other boys, so I deserved not to be picked, to be honest with you.
"We're gonna win the World Cup!" ???????
Welsh fans have a message for @jimhamilton4 and the World after famous win over Australia. #RugbyWorldCup #AUSvWAL pic.twitter.com/WuLfgSDkyQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 29, 2019
“We’ve got some really good second-rows. But I know that second-row is a difficult position to play and something always happens, someone goes down. My mindset was to go back, keep fit and see how it goes.”
With Hill struggling and Adam Beard recovering from an appendix operation, Wales’ second-row resources in Japan have been tested.
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“There was talk that (former Wales internationals) Bob Norster and Derwyn Jones were coming out!” Davies joked.
“All the other boys will say I’m lying, but I think it (second-row) is one of the toughest positions on the field.
“It’s not very glamorous, and you have to put your head where it hurts a lot of the time. A lot of us are big heavy men as well.”
Davies’ renowned sense of humour has made him a popular member of Welsh squads down the years, and the World Cup promises to be no exception.
“I used to be on the joke of the day (committee) about 10 years ago, but I was kicked off that because I was too controversial,” he said.
Gareth Davies is the interception King ?
And he’s been getting up to some mischief… ??@WelshRugbyUnion ???????#RWC2019 #AUSvWAL #RWCTokyo pic.twitter.com/8U4yvl3Wjl
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 1, 2019
“I’ve done fines in the past, but I’ve been kicked off that. I’m just a joker on the bus, really, and sometimes I have to stand up and juggle so the boys can have a laugh.
“I’ve been around the squad a long time, so I’ve got a place at the back of the bus just heckling people. That’s my role.
“The massive thing that I will probably miss after rugby is the camaraderie and coming to training every day.
“You could think you’ve got the best haircut in the world, but as soon as you walk through the door, the boys abuse you and you feel terrible! They are asking you when you are going back to have your haircut finished.
“It’s an unforgiving environment in that sense, but it’s great and the boys get on well. We have a great laugh.
“But it’s always underpinned by how hard we train on the field. Once we cross that white line, we train harder than anybody.”
Watch: Joseph in demand after Ireland win
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
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