It was the first glimpse the world got of Jonathan on the international stage. By the time he retired after a career that encompassed both codes he was recognised as one of the all-time greats of Welsh rugby.
And even 35-years on, he is still making a major impact on people’s lives. As President of the Velindre Cancer Centre, in Cardiff, he has helped to raise more than £30m and is about to embark on another fund raising activity as part of the 2.6 Challenge.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic effect with the cancellation of thousands of events and the loss of billions in income through fundraising events. The London Marathon alone, which should have taken place this weekend, is the world’s biggest one-day fundraising event, which raised more than £66.4 million for thousands of charities in 2019.
Many of these charities have had to reduce or stop services at a time when vulnerable members of society need them most. Thousands of staff have been placed on furlough and many charities are facing an uncertain future.
“I don’t think any of us are going to get to the levels of the incredible Tom Moore in our fundraising, but I’m happy to try to do my bit. I’ll be opening a Just Giving page for Velindre and looking to do 60k a day for seven days to reach 260 miles on my watt bike,” said Jonathan.
“I can’t do what Shane Williams is looking to do – 700 miles on his bike. And I don’t think I could manage the three 12 hour shifts that Geraint Thomas just completed on his way to raising more than £350,000.
“But we can all do our little bit and it is important that the work of so many charities is able to carry on in these difficult times.”
THE 1985 FIVE NATIONS
The tournament suffered three postponements due to bad weather. The opening fixtures, Ireland v England and France v Wales, were postponed to late March and the Wales v England match was put back from February to April because of a frozen pitch in Cardiff.
It meant England had to travel to a ground where they hadn’t won since 1963 in a month that had seen them concede more than 30 points in defeats in 1967 and 1969. Would April prove to be a bad month once again for them in the Welsh capital?
It was a good weekend for Welsh sport. Ieuan Evans and Arthur Emyr plundered 11 tries between them in the 80- Wales B win over Spain at the Brewery Field on Friday and on Sunday Steve Jones went home with $65,000 after winning the London Marathon in 2:08.16.
Coming into the game the future of the two coaches as very much up in the air. England’s Dick Greenwood wasn’t able to take his team to New Zealand that summer, leaving the team in the hands of Martin Green. It was to be his last game in charge.
Wales’ John Bevan was looking to avert the ignominy of a fourth home defeat. His term in charge was coming to an end and he went into the game with a record of five wins, one draw and seven defeats.
Victory at least allowed him to round off his initial three-year tenure on a high. Still only 30, the former Aberavon, Wales and British & Irish Lions outside half was given a one-year extension in June, 1985, but was never able to continue his work after tragically being diagnosed with cancer. He died in 5 June, 1986, aged 38.
THE GAME – WALES 24 – 15 ENGLAND
Wales had beaten Scotland at Murrayfield (25-21), but lost to Ireland (21-9) at home and then gone down fighting in Paris against the French (14-3). The race was on for third place in the Championship behind France and Ireland.
Note ticket has original date of 16 February
As well as giving first caps to Jonathan and Phil Davies, Kevin Hopkins also made his first appearance in place of the injured Mark Ring. There was also another change in the back row, with Gareth Roberts taking over from Martyn Morris.
Jonathan Davies dropped a scruffy first half goal, making it 12-12 at the break, and then picked up a second half try after a howler from England full back Chris Martin. The England full back dropped a towering up and under from the new Wales No 10 on his own goal line and in nipped a very grateful JD to nab the try right under his nose.
It was still 18-15 to Wales, and anyone’s game, going into injury time, but then came a searing outside break by Jonathan set up the match sealing try for the outstanding Gareth Roberts. Paul Thorburn, in only his second start, took his match tally to 13 points with a second conversion to add to three penalties.
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE DEBUTANTS
DAVID HANDS – THE TIMES
The Neath player (Jonathan Davies) kept the ball in front of his forwards, showing the decisive touches of a much mature player than one in his first international.
GERALD DAVIES – THE TIMES
On Saturday, the Welsh team had a back row with some substance to it which it has lacked hitherto. Phil Davies had a marvellous debut and although there is still the tendency to hold the ball over long at the back of the scrum, he was a solid presence at No 8.
DAVID GREEN – DAILY TELEGRAPH
Jonathan Davies had a mixed match, his punting being sometimes erratic, but he demonstrated a calm temperament and made a couple of lovely breaks, one of which led to the second try.
Phil Davies, at No 8, had a sound game on his debut, though his lack of height gave Hesford and Hall prosperous periods at the tail of the line-out.
RICHARD SHARP – SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
Young Jonathan Davies had a mixed day with his kicking, but he did many good things and it was his lovely outside break which made the final Welsh try.
JONATHAN DAVIES ON HIS BIG DAY
After being overlooked so many times for honours earlier in my career I could hardly believe it was happening to me. I just never thought I’d get to play for Wales.
I didn’t make the cut for the Welsh Schools training camp in Aberystwyth, I got overlooked initially at Llanelli and after getting my big break at Neath I tore my cruciate ligaments. That’s why my over-riding memory of that day against England was one of total bewilderment.
It was such a relief to finally get the chance to play for Wales – it meant everything to me, my family and to everyone in my village. I had lost my Dad to cancer when I was 14 and he was very much in my thoughts on that day and I was deliriously happy as I ran out to win my first cap.
France were the best team in the Championship at that time, but with the rest of the teams it was down to who took their chances on the day. Anybody could beat anybody.
I dropped a goal in the first half and then picked up a try in the second. I have to admit the up and under that led to that try was a bit too deep.
It had lots of height, but when you hear the groans from a 50,000 crowd after you’ve kicked it you know it isn’t the best. I just chased as hard as I could to put pressure on Chris Martin and, in the end, it paid off.
Nine out of 10 times he would have caught it cleanly and dealt with it, but there is always that one chance. Because it was a bit of luck, rather than brilliance, I didn’t really celebrate the try – I think I just threw the ball up in the air – but the euphoria set in at the final whistle.
Running out to win my first cap, and beating England on the day, remains one of the most important memories of my whole career.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DAVIESES?
Jonathan went on to play 32 times for Wales over a 12 year period, sandwiching a brilliant rugby league career between two stints in the union game. He won 27 caps before turning professional and then won another five after returning to the 15-a-side code after game had been declared ‘open’ in 1995.
His 28 starts at No 10 took him to within one of Cliff Morgan’s Welsh record of 29 and he also captained Wales on four occasions. He helped Wales to finish third at the inaugural World Cup in 1987 and to win the Triple Crown in 1988.
He transferred to Widnes and then Warrington in rugby league and won 10 caps for the Great Britain team. He also captained Wales into the semi-finals at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. He won the World Club Challenge, The Regal Trophy and the Lancashire Cup with Widnes and in 1994 was named as the ‘Man of Steel’ for the season.
His return to rugby union was at Cardiff and he played for them in the inaugural Heineken Cup Final in 1996, coming on as a replacement in an extra time defeat to Toulouse.
Phil Davies won 46 Welsh caps in the back and second rows and became a highly respected and successful captain at Llanelli. He played in seven WRU Challenge Cup finals, winning five of them, and helped the Scarlets beat the reigning world champions, Australia, in 1992 and to win the Heineken League in Wales in 1993.
He then spent 10 years at Leeds Carnegie, starting as player-coach before hauling them from the third tier into the English Premiership. He returned to Stradey Park and took the Scarlets into the semi-finals of the European Heineken Cup. He became director of rugby at Cardiff Blues and then went on to coach Namibia at two successive World Cups.
