James Davies, now in his second season with the Scarlets, had a barnstorming performance against Leicester Tigers in the European Champions Cup at Parc y Scarlets on his 24th birthday.
With Rory Pitman injured early on in the physical encounter against Leicester Tigers Davies was called off the replacements bench earlier than expected and went on to put in a huge attacking and defensive display in the region’s 15-3 victory.
Having signed a development contract with the Scarlets ahead of the 2014-15 season and relinquishing his Wales 7s commitments James Davies has been working hard behind the scenes to add weight to his 6′ frame as he makes the transition from the super-fast 7s to XVs.
Daves said: “It is about being patient. I’ve put the weight on, now it’s about keeping it on and chucking it around the field as well you know. It’s been tough; when you have to do it properly and work hard to do it it’s difficult.”
Celebrating his 24th birthday with a win against Tigers was a fantastic gift, Davies went on to say: “It was a good win tonight and the best birthday present you can have really.
“We knew before the game it would be physical. Leicester have always been a physical side. I thought we fronted up well tonight – we matched them during the game. We had a system in place during the week and it obviously worked.
“We defended quite a bit in the second half, we knew that if we kept to our systems we’d shut them out. We kept them out when they were looking for a bonus point in the end.
“Having the opportunity was great for me and having the time on the pitch. It was an intense and physical game, I felt strong and I’m quite happy with how I went in the end.”
With Scottish international John Barclay posing as strong opposition for the openside berth Davies is fully aware of the need to make the most of every opportunity; he went on to say: “I’ve been patient during the start of the season. John Barclay is a great player. John was talking a lot on the pitch, which is brilliant for me.
“I’m learning a lot from him. I’m keeping my head down and hopefully every opportunity I get I do alright.”
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle
