Jenny Davies takes charge of the WRU Women's South Wales Cup final
Davies continues to enjoy her double life
Any budding filmmaker could do worse than profile the life and times of former Wales international prop Jenny Davies.
As a player she gave everything for the red jersey and blazed a trail for others to follow. During an international career she amassed 74 caps. She was a member of the first Welsh women’s side to beat arch rival England at Taffs Well in 2009.
A couple of weeks later Davies scored a crucial try against Ireland as she helped Mellissa Berry and her teammates write themselves into the history books by winning the Triple Crown for the very first time.
She was also in the first Wales women’s side to play an international at the Millennium Stadium in 2012 when Italy was beaten 30-13. Three years later she was in the only other Welsh team to beat England in the Six Nations, at St Helens.
After retiring from international rugby in 2015, the Bangor-based lecturer began a new path, coaching and refereeing. Last weekend both roles culminated in further success with Davies coaching Caernarfon to victory against COBRA in the North Wales Cup final in the opening game on Women’s National Finals Day at Principality Stadium in the highly successful Road To Principality extravaganza.
Jenny Davies helps Caernarfon celebrate winning the North Wales Cup
She had little time to celebrate, as she then had to referee the South Wales Cup final between Bonymaen and Llandaff North in the third and final game of the day.
In doing so, she created a further slice of history, becoming the first person to have played an international at Principality Stadium, before returning as an assistant referee, becoming a winning coach and being awarded a cup final to referee.
“I think I am the first to tick all the boxes,” said a proud Davies. “At the time when I found out I was going to be refereeing as well as coaching on the same day, I thought ‘that’s good I won’t have to double travel, its boom boom’ – it wasn’t actually until afterwards I realised that I have played, been an assistant referee, coached a winning team and refereed – I’ve ticked all the boxes now.”
In a fiercely competitive game, Llandaff North ran out 24-7 victors against Bonymaen with poacher turned gamekeeper Davies enjoying the occasion.
“I really enjoyed it and it really went quickly. I need to watch the game again to reflect on it. I didn’t walk off the pitch thinking I had missed anything major which impacted on the score.”
Davies had watched Llandaff North play the week prior to the final so knew they would want quick ball and having coached a number of the Bonymaen players previously with Welsh Colleges, she felt that facilitated a better game.
“Girls do listen and I think because I knew a lot of them as I had coached them previously, they automatically respected me straight off so I think that helped having a better repour on the pitch.”
Llandaff North's Rhi Parker makes a dash against Bonymaen with referee Jenny Davies in close attendance
While switching from coach mode to referee mode may be difficult for some, Davies is no stranger to the situation so was able to adapt quickly on Sunday.
“Because I had done it all season, albeit normally a day apart, refereeing Saturday and coaching Sunday, your mindset does change. You kind of flick a switch, and say, right, that’s boxed now let’s open this box.
“So even if we had won or lost, you quickly reflect on it. I had an hour and went up to speak to my parents, sister and niece in a box and I was chatting to them, and it seemed like a natural process.”
With her latest box ticked, Davies is now awaiting what next the WRU referee’s department have planned for her.
“I just want to see how good I can be so if they think this is how good I am and I stop at this level then I will take it. But if they think I’m worthy of being pushed on to international status then that will be my ambition. Whatever they think I am capable of I will put everything into it, and I will not let them down.”
Caernarfon's Mali Jones races away to score a try in the Womens North Wales Cup
Coaching Caernarfon to cup glory was the icing on the cake for Davies, having seen huge improvement in the side since joining the Premiership, where they have just lost twice this season.
“I felt like a proud sister, but I think I am too old for that, so let’s say I felt like a proud mum,” she said after guiding her side to a comfortable 45-10 win against COBRA.
“Throughout the season we’ve put so much work into a lot of things just trying to play as a team. Things have begun to click, and I think us being in the Premiership has helped them so much more.
“Previously beating teams 100-nil we weren’t getting anything from it and players weren’t either. Being in the Premiership has triggered some of them on and maybe given them more ambition. Who knows, maybe someday some of them might be back playing at Principality Stadium, but for Wales.”
