Charles Davies - deservedly recognised for his 70+ years devotion to rugby

 
 
Charles Davies has been involved with Haverfordwest Rugby Club as a player, hon secretary, long-serving committeeman and president for a combined total of over 70 years and now, as a sprightly 91 year old, has been recognised for his super-long service by the Welsh Rugby Union for his total loyalty to one club over such an amazingly long time, plus over 20 years as Hon Secretary of the Pembrokeshire & District Rugby Union
 
In fact, Charles played in six different decades from the 40s to the 90s - and played his last game for the third team in a friendly against Fishguard Seconds at 63.

“To be honest, I was slotted in late on because we were a player short and I had my leg pulled for ages afterwards because I was warned by the referee for a high tackle - but I told him that it only happened because I was too slow to get out of the way!”
 

Sport certainly a huge part of his life

 
It would be fair to say that sport has always played a huge part in his life since his days at the old Haverfordwest Grammar School, where he was rugby captain alongside being captain of the athletics team.
 
He certainly led by example in athletics as he competed regularly in the 100 yards (no metres in those days!) and had a best time of 10.8 seconds - and was a dab hand in the long jump and triple jump, which in his day was known as ‘the hop, step and jump’! He was county and Dyfed champion and represented the county schools’ squad in the hurdles at the Welsh Schools’ Championships at Maindy Stadium in Cardiff.
 
On one occasion, just after World War Two Charles was selected to represent the Combined Schools and Youth squads in Ireland and came back as a favourite with the local young ladies, not for his athletic prowess but because nylons and chocolates were not on ration there and he came home with a bag full of both!
 

National Service – a great time for sport!

 
Then when he joined the army for National Service, he spent most of the two years in Edinburgh and he represented his platoon and Scottish Command in sprinting and long jumping - and he played rugby as a winger for the latter and grabbed 18 tries in two months.
 
“Much of the credit for that went to my centre Eric Ashton, who later captained the British Rugby League team - and with both the sports it felt like my National Service was a lot more enjoyable than most other people’s!”
 
One of his sources of pride about that time is the fact that he held the Haverfordwest club’s try-scoring record with 22 tries in a season and he would lay much of the credit to his centre colleague Dave Banner - and the pair worked in the same office in County Hall so visitors could be startled by seeing the intrepid pair practising a few moves in the corridor!



 

Blues’ president and deserved Life Member

 
Back at Haverfordwest RFC, Charlie’s efforts were rewarded with Honorary Life Membership a number of years ago and has been The Blues’ president for five years, which he says is an honour as he works alongside Delyth Summons (Hon Treasurer), Graham Dalton (Hon Secretary), and Alun Wills (Chairman) an excellent committee.
 
“I try to attend every home match and something I have done for a number of years is to meet and greet the match day referees - and former club skipper Richard Thomas also does a great job now with a warm welcome.
 

Club officials nominated him

 
His nomination for the President of the Welsh Rugby Union Life-time Achievement award came as the result of a message from the WRU about their special second annual awards evening on their web site and it was spotted by Hon Treasurer, Delyth Summons, who doubles up in the same role for Pembrokeshire & District, and is in her first-ever term as the District H representative on the governing body of Welsh Rugby - and already catching the eye at the Principality Stadium for her contribution.
 
She spoke to club secretary Graham ‘Dolly’ Dalton, and it was agreed that Charles deserved a nomination and so off went the form.
 

Good news – and an attempt at secrecy foiled

 
A little later came the good news that Charles had been short-listed and the winner to be announced at a special dinner in the hospitality suite of former Welsh rugby legend Terry Cobner, now the WRU president.
 
Charles was kept in the dark at this time but discovered by accident when he received an e-mail from the WRU giving him the news of his short-listing and, modest man that he is, thought he’d been scammed!
 
So, The Blues had to let their cat out of the bag and tell him about the dinner and the fact that he would be taken there by Delyth, her husband John, and Dolly, with former player Geraint John also going to be there as a senior employee of the WRU in promoting their ‘Grass Roots’ section of the game.




 

WRU Cameraman visits – and off they go to Cardiff

 
The next stage came when the WRU sent down a cameraman to film Charles at the club headquarters at Merlins Bridge and those involved thought that all short-listed nominations would have the same treatment - and that was that until the intrepid quartet set off for the presentation evening which had Scott Quinnell as one of the MCs.
 
There were 150-plus at the two-course meal and a few nerves from Delyth and Co before Charles’ category came around, as the penultimate one of 12 awards during the evening before his name was announced as winner and the afore-mentioned video recording appeared as if by magic on the large screens.
 

Another great honour for Charles

 
Charles is a modest man but must have been thrilled by the accolade, with his memento presented by Mr Cobner, with Ieuan Evans, one of the greatest ever Welsh players, also there to congratulate him in his role as former chairman.
 
It was another great memory for Charles alongside the time when Pembrokeshire entertained the Japanese National touring side, the game was played at Haverfordwest and he had the job of making sure that it went well, including his playing host to the UK’s Japanese Ambassador as Pembrokeshire were the only team to beat them, other than the full Welsh team.
 
“Both were wonderful occasions but on a personal note this must rank as the best moment - and I was honoured to be involved for my work at Haverfordwest, after playing my first game in 1948 and being lucky to be still involved there now. And I must thank Delyth and ‘Dolly’ for organising my nomination alongside the support from the club in general!”
 
There was a prolonged standing ovation for Charles, and it was great to see so many there from other clubs across Wales coming over to shake his hand and say what a magnificent example of loyalty and total dedication he had shown for so long.
 

And finally . . .

 
As Charles told us at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk,
“It is always nice to bump into old friends from other clubs who I have known for well half a century - and even the local press like Gordon Thomas and Bill Carne, who I have got to know well over many years.”
 
And both of us can honestly say that the pleasure has been ours because Charles Davies is richly deserving of the award, a gentleman of sport and still a wonderful ambassador for Haverfordwest RFC!”