20 Questions: Chris Davies – Richmond No.8

How good was it to beat London Scottish the other week?
It was a great day for the players and everyone at the club to claim that first Championship win.
Did you ever doubt it would come?
No. We came close to winning against Notting-ham and Rotherham and had a lot of belief going into the game that we could beat Scottish so to actually do it was great.
And nearly backed it up last week didn’t you?
We had a bad start against Carnegie but we were in the game for 60 minutes and were leading with 10 minutes to go. We ended up losing 39-31 but it shows how much we’re improving.
Have you found your feet in the league now?
It takes time to get used to the intensity and skill level in the Champion-ship. You can’t make mistakes or the opposition will punish you.
Confident you can compete week-in week-out now?
It’s the same every season with the promoted team taking about nine or ten weeks to properly get going – after that they’re up to the challenge and we’re getting close to doing that.
What about Pirates today?
Confidence is high but Penzance is a tough place to go. It’ll be a full weekend trip but if we can pick up points it would be a big step forward.
What do you know of them?
Not much but my old Uni mate Alex Cheesman plays for them so it’ll be good to catch up.
Did you play together at Oxford?
Yes, we played in the Varsity Match together in 2008 and 2009 – we won the first, lost the second.
Weren’t you coached by Steve Hil?
Indeed! Will Browne, who also plays for Richmond was in that team. This is my tenth season being coached by Steve.
How good a coach?
He’s great at creating team spirit and he’s done an amazing job creating the atmosphere around the club. He’s played a massive part in our success on the pitch with our two promotions in recent years.
What was his message in pre-season?
He sat us down and was realistic about the challenge. But it was important for us to make sure we would maintain the club’s spirit and stayed tight together. He trusted us and gave us a chance to play at this level.
How much pride do you take in going from National Two with pretty much the same squad?
It’s huge for us. There are so many players in the current team that have played over 100 games. It’s great for team spirit to experience the Championship together.
Best moments at Richmond?
The two promotions and tours. Wewent to Cape Town last year and already booked for Texas in 2017.
What’s your day job?
I work in equity sales for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Did you think about going professional?
I was offered a contract by Sale when I was 18 but took the choice to go to Uni.
Where does you nickname ‘Four Pints’ come from?
First year at Oxford. But it’s not true!
Favourite cheat meal?
Lasagne. Favourite meal full stop even if it hardly counts as a cheat meal.
Three dinner guests?
Freddie Flintoff, Peter Kay and Paul Scholes.
Best and worst banter at Richmond?
Caldon Pike tells a great story. Harry Edwards is the worst for his lack of any discernible banter.
Best and worst dressed?
Tom Platt and Cam Mitchell are the best. Will Warden called out Timmy Walford’s polo shirts in this column so I’ll leave him alone and go for Charlie Broughton. Oh, and Steve Hill and his size 15 sandals!