'Cub' is in a sevens class of his own!

 

 

James ‘Cub’ Davies is one of a growing number of local rugby players to receive international recognition but in his case it as a dynamic forward for Wales in the World Sevens Series played across the globe, rather than in the traditional 15-man version of the game.

 

He had never played sevens until he was spotted playing the 15-man game at Carmarthen Quins and invited to attend trials for the team which played in the FIRA tournaments in Europe, and from there has never looked back after finishing his first season under contract in the season just finished.

 

 

James certainly hails from a rugby-playing family because his older brother Jonathan, is playing as a centre with the British Lions touring party to Australia after helping Wales with the Six nations’ Championship, whilst James has created his own niche as a contracted player for Wales in the sevens’ game which is now played at some very exotic venues – and culminates in the World Sevens Championships which will soon be played in Russia.

 

James is very hopeful of selection after being top try scorer for Wales in the recently-ended sevens series, despite missing tournaments through illness at key venues like Hong Kong, Japan and Las Vegas. He showed typical grit, however, by playing in the last three competitions at Dubai, Port Elizabeth (South Africa) and at Twickenham.

 

 

In the first two he helped Wales reach the final of the plate competition and he scored a brace of tries in each to help Wales to the silverware against Canada and Fiji. They didn’t start well in England but when they reached the bowl final (the third tier) against a strong France team he scored three tries as man of the match in another Welsh win!

 

He is already contracted to the Welsh Sevens squad for next season and is part of the current large squad of 27 chosen for the World Championships which will be whittled down to 12 players after the forthcoming six-weeks’ squad sessions at the Welsh training centre in the Vale of Glamorgan.

 

 

“The training is even more intense than for the 15-man game,” said James, “although some of my pals back in Whitland think I am on a ‘jolly’ as we move around the world playing.

“There is an absolute demand for fitness since we play so many games in a short time and under coaches Paul John and Gareth Williams there is also a great emphasis on the tactical side of the game and not just a matter of ‘chucking a ball about’.

“There is a real structure to our play with just seven players on a full-sized pitch and it is fair to say that it almost a totally different game from normal rugby.

 

Ask James, who his top players are and he would nominate the world renowned New Zealand duo of DJ Forbes and Tomase Cama.

“South African play-maker Cecil Africa is another star because he has so much pace and all three are master tacticians that would get in any side.”

 

Other sports

 

Outside of his rugby, James likes turning out for Whitland Cricket Club when he is home and recently scored 21 runs when he played for the thirds. He also played football for St Clears as a central midfielder up to under 16 level but then had to focus on his rugby. He has always had total support from parents Julie and Mike, who used to run the ‘Fox and Hounds’ pub in Bancyfelin – and Jonathan is known to all as ‘Fox’ because of that fact, with James being dubbed as ‘Cub’ from a young age, a name that still sticks!

 

 

He started out in rugby at St Clears and he played there up to under 12 level and then benefitted from the coaching expertise of Chris Smith to under 13 level and then from Arwyn Thomas through to youth days, always as an open-side flanker. The young Borderers regularly won the cup for their age group as James, Jonathan Thomas, James Stephenson and Aled Rees were involved, and later were joined by another full Welsh international in Scott Williams.

James was twice player of the tournament on finals day and later helped Whitland Youth reach the final of the Welsh Youth Cup before they were beaten by Bridgend Athletic.

 

 

From there it was on to senior rugby and James started out with Whitland before he went to study business Enterprise at Bristol University, where he also played for Clifton in the Division Two (South) of the English set-up. Then James came home and joined Carmarthen Quins, where he is still involved outside of the sevens’ season.

 

As one of the youngest players in the Welsh Sevens’ set-up he plays as hooker in the three-man pack but is also excellent in his support play and covering, which is why he is top scorer and appreciated for his good work in defence.

 

 

James ‘Cub’ Davies is a great advertisement for rugby in Whitland in particular and Pembrokeshire in general – and we wish this modest and unassuming young man continued success because he has worked tirelessly and with total commitment to become a vital member of the Welsh Rugby Sevens’ set-up.