Jack Davies has just made a welcome return to rugby action at Pembroke Dock Harlequins as a front-row forward who is able to play at either tight or loose head, because he had taken a break after almost 20 years in the oval-ball game by playing football for Carew FC.
 
In that time with The Rooks, he was happy to play anywhere for any of the club’s three teams, but preferably in midfield, until the end of last season when the third team folded and after a short absence from either of his winter sports, he has just decided to return to Bierspool and play for The Quins again.
 
He was due to restart his rugby by playing in the recent local derby against Pembroke but Storm Bert intervened and the game was postponed so Jack had to wait just a little longer to restart his play in the Quins’ front row.
 

A self-confessed ‘average’ cricketer with Pembroke

 
But he is still playing some sport because he is also a very keen cricketer with Pembroke where he has also played since the age of seven or eight, starting at Treleet because a number of his school chums like Jack and Luke Harries, Sam Davies and Billy Wood were involved there and his parents Kevin and Mandy used to ferry him back and fore from their home at the time in Pembroke Dock.
 
“As nippers we used to have the odd coaching sessions from Paul ‘Chalkie’ White and Jonathan ‘Yoggy’ Rogers but their expertise didn’t quite extend to my lowish level, I’m sorry to admit.
 
“If you were to ask me if I bat or bowl, I might have to answer that I am simply a bit of a useful fielder!  I would describe myself as a lower batting order or tail-ender who loves the game and enjoys being involved at a cricket club which has a great camaraderie and makes everyone welcome!
 

Has still picked up the odd trophy or two

 
“I have bowled occasionally in the indoor league, trying to fool the opposition that I am a leg-spinners, and it has worked sometimes, but not as often as I would like. I’ve also been known to hit the odd four or even six outdoors and have a top score of 49 against Cresselly - and I’m still convinced the scorers made a slight clerical error because they should have put me down for my 50!
 

“It’s fair to say that I’m not the best player at Pembroke so I understand if I don’t get picked - but I’m there like a shot if they need me for any match - and in my time there I’m proud of the fact that I have winners or runners-up medals in divisions two, three and five!

 
“We also won the second division of the indoor league last season and I also helped Rob Smythe, an amazing character at the club, in taking the youngsters in the ‘All Stars’ programme so I enjoy being involved at Treleet!

 
“I also keep a look out for what my younger brother George is doing at Cresselly because he is a very good cricketer who went there to try and better his performances and he scored lots of runs for them last season - and I’m glad to see him improving all the time because has always been a far more promising player than I ever was!”







 

Rugby always his main sport in terms of participation

 
Ask Jack about his own sporting ability and there is no doubt that rugby has always been his main interest since he started out as a nipper with the Quins and coached early on by his uncle Mark Bradney, then by Lenny Scourfield and Neil Roberts, all whom gave so much service as players and then in coaching.
 
‘Gareth Scourfield and Colin Burton then took over in the youth and were great at making training sessions good fun as well as hard work and I played in the front row alongside Euan Ivemay and Wes Blunsden, with Charlie Dearden and Ben Hathaway (the current Quins’ captain) as star backs.
 
“We did manage to reach the county youth final once but came up our against old rivals Crymych, at Narberth, who were boosted by some good players from Fishguard, who didn’t have a team at the time so they were allowed to play for ‘Crymych Seagulls!





 

Played for The Scarlets (West) and The Scarlets

 
“I played for the county team from under 12s, with Johnny Llewellyn and Mackie Dawes as our coaches - and also played for The Scarlets and Scarlets (West) teams, which meant mum and dad making the long trek for training twice a week and for matches, although we did manage to share lifts with Euan and Lewis Gibby’s parents too.
 
“I played alongside Euan and Lewys, Jake Jenkins (Fishguard), Kyle Williams, Jonathan Clout and Jake Evans (Haverfordwest) - and Phil John did a lot of the scrummaging work with us. The head coach was nicknamed ‘Skuddie’ and that’s all we called him, because he was so tough we were too nervous to ask him his name!”


 

Senior rugby under club legend Ossie

 
Then it was on to senior rugby and Jack made his debut some 20 days after his 17th birthday in a Quins’ team coached by Ossie Boswell, who all the players thought was great because of the way he treated them with respect – but you soon knew if he thought you weren’t being committed enough!
 
“It was very tough going as I played against the likes of Johnny Palmer and they had a powerful pack which played it fair but very hard, so I was glad I had my scrum cap and shoulder pads on because they helped - and I’ve always worn them both whenever I’ve played since.
 
“I played at Bierspool from 17 to 24 and certainly saw some ups and downs in that time but I enjoyed just being part of a club where everyone was very much part of a large family atmosphere and beating Pembroke on the odd occasion was very much a highlight because we all knew each other and it was good to hold the bragging rights for a short time until they were decided again when we next met.






 

And finally . . .

 
“But eventually I stopped enjoying my games so much, although before I left, I explained to club officials that my going to football was just a chance to recharge my batteries and that I would be back.
 
“Hence my return now and I’m already looking forward to games against my old pals, not only in Pembroke but in Llangwm and Neyland as other local derbies.”
 
One only needs to chat to Jack Davies for a short time to see his love of rugby and cricket, as we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk did in our short chat with him during an indoor cricket evening at Neyland Hub - and it certainly was refreshing because he’s not unduly interested in trophies, league or cup triumphs; just the enjoyment of being involved in sport for the sheer fun of taking part.
 
Long may he continue to take that view!