Absolutely incredible man, unbelievable talent with an ability to keep fighting against all that has been thrown in his path. An amazing career in union and league rugby, 2 beautiful wives and 4 loving children. What more could you wish for than to watch Cymru win against New Zealand before you hang up your boots in heaven, and win another Grandslam . ❤❤❤❤❤🎉
He's a rugby god. I remember going up to watch him play for Widnes and being terrified as he was so much smaller than the rest. I was also lucky enough to watch him captaining Great Britain against the world's best side and scoring the winning try. He actually tackled a man mountain called Mal Meninga which in itself deserved a medal. (He broke his arm there too.) Incredible. He really is up there in the Pantheon of the worlds greatest ever players but you never see it reflected in the lists.
@@user-jv3ct9pb5z :Thought I replied to this! He's actually got his own TV chat show on Welsh TV (In Welsh) plus he's a regular contributor as commentator on both Union and League matches for the BBC. Busy boy.
Most talented and fastest acceleration in West Wales district schools. Never once managed to lay a finger on him ! And off the field he was always friendly and cheerful, also incredibly humble given that he’d just embarrassed you for 80 minutes. All the arrogance was left on the pitch. His story is incredible. A national treasure ……. indeed a man of steel
The best Rugby League footballer of his generation. Rugby League was fortunate to have him at his peak. His try for Great Britain against Australia at Wembley in 1994 was pure genius.
Welsh rugby greatly missed Jonathan during that time, but not only him all the others who chose to go north too. Can't blame them, they had to look after their families first and foremost
@@barneypaws4883 I agree. The amateur regs at the time were bizarre, boot money on the one hand, but if you even spoke to someone from Rugby league you could be deemed a professional. I got banned for coaching Rugby League and being paid £80.
I remember meeting the Welsh team when they toured NZ in 1988 I was 12 still have the photos with Jonathan Davies, John Devereaux, the Moriarty brothers.
I love Johnathan ............He realised what became before him ..Hes had taken on the absolute clinical mantle of what his position what was the,, A Welsh ..N0. 10 ..He ..embraced all .. and had in built absolute blistering pace and technical brain ..Absolutely brilliant player ..Never met him personally yet ,,LEGEND ,,,WELSH LEGEND
Wow, its always good to understand where people are coming from in order to appreciate what they have done and where they are going. Never knew this great man had so much challenges and you can see he was inspired by his challenges to aim for greater heights, I ve always liked Jonathan Davies but this just kicks it up few more notches
Great, great video. I played rugby in Wales, as did my son, and Jonathan knew the problems and no one listened. Fair play to you mate and you are a man. Regards.
What a beautiful surprise that documentary was! What a hero he is and after more than his share of challenges. Feeling inspired. I think I’ll stay tuned for Dad’s Army tho.
Was part of the Welsh team that went to NZ in 1988, that lost both tests by 40 plus points and got thrashed by a few provisional teams, yet the biggest cheer at the final test (final score NZ 54 Wales 9) was Davies length of the field Try, as it was getting a bit boring watching the AB’s scoring try after try in those two tests.
Barry John my old friend, recently turned 78, also ex-Gwendraeth Grammar, but years before me though, now lives in an old West Wales cave, in Cardiff - towards Cathedral Road I think it is.
USA. He was a fantastic player both in league and union. He wasn’t playing in a good Welsh side so it’s silly to compare him to Barry John or Phil Bennett. He was as talented as both of those two players, maybe more so in some ways.
00:25 - Look at the state of the grass in Trimsaran primary school then, 1973, and the ubiquitous 'temporary' asbestos chalet classrooms. FFS, nothing changes.
I saw the top ten rugby union players of all time. Phil Bennet was not in there , JPR Williams was absent, and Jonathan Davies was too. He was an international union player, transferred to league and was international there too. I think the best player across both codes! I remember Leeds buying John Gallagher from NZ. The best player on the planet and he was shite at league
@@DerekReeve-q4v Good, but not, apparently, the best. Like Wally Lewis, Andrew Et, Mal M, Ellery Hanley, Gary Schofiled. ! . Dont think you got my point. But hey we cant all have grey cells!
My understanding of him going North was that the WRU shat on him after he wanted to share his reasons at an inquiry after the all Blacks killed Wales in the late 80's. tour. The WRU would not listen
I read the same thing. The players on that tour were sharing uninsulated rooms in backpackers while sleeping in tracksuits to stay warm, while the WRU officials were staying in the best hotels. After the tour they made it abundantly clear that players were to be seen and not heard. Which attitude helped contribute to the fact that it took Wales until 2003 to double their RWC total from 1987.
politics destroyed Welsh rugby dinasours who felt that earning money was not acceptable but boot money was very much a fact . Ireland now reaping the benefit of consolitatiing their position reducing their regions and making the game more viable
14:05 - see that English fella there, that spare part, when the BBC Sport used to called him Prince Andrew? Well I do. I especially laugh at that now, these Stewart Lee days... 🙃😁 Mark Andrew the lock from SA I got on better with - we got on like a house on fire - the daft as a brush called me a queen once in a Swansea bar, and I told him that is Prince Andrew that is, not me. 😎
The way that the Welsh public turned on Jonathan for "going League" is a prime example of our tribal nature, and yes it is a problem. (Yes, I'm welsh). In the days of the amateur game, if you were English and were playing Union, you perhaps had come from a private school background, and you were already professionally qualified. If you were Welsh, you were from a coal-mining background and the amateur game offered you, and more importantly your supportive and proud family, NO financial benefits. Ask me why I turned professional, when the only game in town was league? What would you have done in my place?
19:30 - Oh Jesus, here we go... London's Devil money. I'll watch the rest before Saturday before I get really worked up tonight with zero humour. English Tories!!!!! 😐😔😵💫
I find it interesting that at the time, Davies was considered too small for RL. Since so many law changes have changed RU to looking a bit more like RL in recent times, size matters in RU almost as much as in RL. I find that to be a negative.
