Gerald Davies, sportsman with a connection to Wales (Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire)
Gerald Davies
Rugby player. Played wing for Wales and British Lions.Connection: Born in Carmarthenshire.
comment by:WordMiesterThe wing who had everything, the finest I have ever seen!
I first saw him for Loughborough at the Border Sevens and I knew then he was a star in the making.
I thought: 'Boy he is quick!' He had twinkling feet and could come off either foot in the blink of an eye. His side-step was marvellous - like a shaft of lightning. He also had this tremendous ability to squeeze through tiny gaps to score at the corner.
He had all the gifts - but his change of pace was startling and so deceptive. How often did we see Gerald apparently about to be caught only to fool everyone by moving up another gear? He was a delight. He also took New Zealand by storm as a Lion and they are hard men to impress.
In judging wings you think of who you would least like to mark, and TGR was the one I would have hated to have come up against. He could make you look a patsy. One game I particularly remember was for Cardiff against Pontypool in the Welsh Cup in the 1977-78 season. Cardiff only won about six balls, yet Gerald scored four tries.
I remember seeing a television clip when four players had him hemmed in on the touch-line with only a metre to work with, yet he left them standing, with their eyes coming out of their heads. With a wiggle of his hips and a remarkable jink he was away.
He wasn't shy defensively either. He was not a big fellow but he tackled, as I often say, like the crack o' doom.
The score that sticks in my mind was for Wales against Scotland in 1971. Delme Thomas took the line-out and the move ended with Gerald scooting around Iain Smith, the Scotland full back. It was a classic try, simple in the making, but Gerald was in the right place at the right time. Wales won with the conversion kicked by John Taylor. Certainly my number one.
comment by:MalcolmXI agree with every word that the wordmiester writes, Gerald was simply the best.