GERALD DAVIES

1966-1978
PLAYER PROFILE
Country:  Wales
H.O.F. Inductee: 1999
Position: Wing
Date of Birth: 07/02/1945
Place of Birth: Llansaint
CAREER STATUS
Test Caps 46
Test Points 72
Test tries 20
Penalties 0
Conversions 0
Drop Goals 0
CAREER SUMMARY
Lions and Wales wing Gerald Davies studied at Loughborough University before appearing for Cambridge University, Cardiff and London Welsh. He was switched from his original position of centre to the wing in 1969 by Wales coach Clive Rowlands and was devastating in his new role, his remarkable pace and side-step left many a tackler trailing in his wake.

In New Zealand with the '71 Lions, his three Test tries and four more in one afternoon against Hawke’s Bay have gone down in rugby folklore, no one was left in any doubt that here was the finished article. New Zealand critics hailed him as a superstar in a galaxy of stars and nearer home he was regarded as the greatest wing ever to play for Wales. At club level he transformed the playing style of Cardiff during his three years of captaincy.
GREATEST MOMENT
Perhaps his most dramatic try came at Murrayfield against Scotland in the 1971 Five Nations. In the dying moments of a furious match that had seen the lead change hands many times, Scotland looking to have the result sewn up. Suddenly the ball came to Davies who sprinted around the Scottish cover to score a try which brought Wales within a point of the Scots. John Taylor's subsequent conversion snatched a 19-18 victory for the Welsh.
INTERESTING FACTS
After his playing days were over Davies has gone on to become a renowned journalist.