Terry Davies - International Career

International Career

Davies made his international debut for Wales against England on 17 January 1953 in a home game at the Cardiff Arms Park. Although Davies scored a penalty kick, it was the only score that Wales could muster, and they lost 8-3. Davies was selected for the remaining three games of the Championship, winning them all, with Davies scoring another penalty against Scotland. Injury kept Davies from international rugby until 1957, when he returned against England. The match against Ireland during the same campaign saw Davies's kicking win the match. In a game played in extremely muddy conditions, the Welsh pack took control and two penalty goals from Davies was enough to give Wales the victory.

The 1958 Five Nations Championship game between England and Wales at Twickenham has become synonymous with Terry Davies. In a match where the Welsh team played without the Prince of Wales's feathers due to a mistake by the manufacturers, Davies had an opportunity to take the lead for Wales with a penalty kick. The mark was fifty yards out, and against the wind but Davies's kick was true and would have won the game but the ball hit the crossbar and bounced back. That night a group of Welsh supporters climbed the posts and cut down a section of the offending crossbar and took it back to Wales. Davies, a timber merchant, offered to replace it.

In 1959, Davies was selected for the British Lions on their tour of Australia and New Zealand. Davies should have been chosen for more matches, but a leg injury and some questionable selection choices restricted his appearances. During the second Test against New Zealand, Davies received a leg injury in the first quarter of an hour, but remained on the pitch to kick a penalty and a conversion. Although the Lions lost the game, Davies played well in the Final Test which the Lions won.

During the 1960 season, Wales faced the touring South Africans and Davies was chosen to captain the Welsh team. At the beginning of the game Davies won the toss for Wales and chose to play into the strong wind. Wales kept the Springboks at bay in the first half trailing to a single penalty from Keith Oxlee, but failed to score in the second half even with the wind now behind them. Davies would captain Wales on two more occasions, but would play his last international game in 1961 against France.