Ioan out to capture Dragons opportunity
For fullback Ioan Davies, rocking up at Rodney Parade for the first time as a Dragons player back in February was something of a full-circle moment.
The 21-year-old, whose loan deal from Cardiff became a permanent one over the summer, was following in the footsteps of his dad, Guto, who scored four tries in 16 games for the Black and Ambers as a centre/fullback in the late 80s.
Perhaps sport was always going to be the avenue for Davies – his uncle, Sion Wyn, played basketball at a high level – while all the trappings for success could be found for him at Ysgol Glantaf and the same St Peter’s rugby club that nurtured Callum Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd. It wasn’t long before the boy from Penylan was being recognised by the then Cardiff Blues academy system and Wales age grades.
Davies takes on the Rhiwbina defence for St Peter's, his boyhood club.
He made a calling card for himself with Wales U18, scoring a computer game-like try against England at Sardis Road, although he regrets missing out on what is often considered a rite of passage at U18 level. “It was a bit of a weird one for me because they changed the age groups halfway through, so I was too young to really be in contention for the South Africa tour,” he says of the annual U18 International Series held in Stellenbosch. “Then in my second year it changed from school year to calendar year, so I was too old. I was gutted!”
Davies went on to make further inroads in Wales’ age groups, though, featuring in a famous win in Rosario, Argentina, as they beat New Zealand at the World Rugby U20 Championship in 2019. To continue the South American theme, the previous autumn Davies had made his full senior debut for Cardiff. Far from the occasion being a cold Friday night in Connacht, it came at home to Uruguay – and it was a try-scoring one at that. “It was off the back of a Dan Fish cross-field kick,” he says. “To make my Cardiff debut against an international side was a great experience – we hadn’t played an international side since 2009, I believe – but to actually score was amazing.”
Today he is preparing himself for his first full season as a Dragons player, whilst also making time for a worthwhile educational side hustle. “I’m in my third year of medical studies at Cardiff University, so I’m often quite busy,” says Davies, who insists that the challenges of living in Cathays are less about the temptations of student life than of sticking to schedule. “It’s a lot about time management more than anything. It’s nice because it’s so different from my job as a rugby player: you take your mind off the game when you’re studying medicine, and vice versa.”
Keeping good company with Hallam Amos and Josh Adams in the April derby.
Textbooks aside, Davies will this week have been focused on Saturday’s away trip to Coventry, in what will be the Dragons’ final pre-season match. “I’m really looking forward to getting out there against Wasps,” Davies says. “I got about 15 minutes at Welford Road last weekend, but it’s been a while since I’ve had a proper crack from minute one. It’s hard to get involved when you come on right at the end – especially when you’re up against someone like Nemani Nadolo! But again, for me it’s all about getting that experience.”
The 2021/22 season promises much for Davies. It will see the ushering in of the new United Rugby Championship, which for the Dragons begins with a home match against the Ospreys. “I’d love to be involved in that one because I can’t wait to get down to Rodney Parade again,” he says. “The return of crowds will be a big thing this season, and I haven’t actually played there with fans yet, so it’ll be great to have them there. They’ll make a massive difference.”
