Davies back in the running for Wales
ALED Davies is the first to admit that being barred from playing for Wales for the past four years was hard to take.
By joining Saracens in 2020, the 20-cap scrum-half became ineligible for his country under the WRU 60-cap rule, with last year's reduction to 25 caps still leaving him out in the cold.
But now the former Scarlets and Ospreys No.9 is back in the international mix, having signed for Cardiff.
“Obviously, the last four years have been difficult, wanting to play for Wales and not being able to be picked,” he says.
“In that time, I definitely felt I was good enough as well.
“It was difficult because I wasn't forced out, but there weren't many opportunities for me in Wales and my best option was to leave.
“So that was probably the most difficult thing about it. But it is what it is. Everything happens for a reason and I think I am definitely a better person and player from leaving.”
The Carmarthen-born Davies made 77 appearances for star-studded Sarries in all, helping them win the Premiership title the season before last.
“It just gave me a different outlook on life as a person, a broader outlook, seeing how other people work and seeing how good I am compared to other people in a different environment,” he says.
“The competition up there was a different level. I have definitely grown and matured and improved as a player.”
Given how much he took out of the Sarries experience, how tough was it to walk away from the club?
“It was a difficult decision, but it was very family-based,” says the father-of-two. “I had a couple of years left there, but it was time for me to come home. I just wanted to come back and be close to family. When I spoke to Cardiff, it was the right place for me to come back to. Watching from afar and seeing some of the sell-outs they had at the Arms Park last season, it looked incredible. You can see from how many boys are in the Welsh squad how good and talented these boys are.”
As for resuming his own international career, he says: “It's not really a big focus for me.
“It's more just to come back to Cardiff and see what we can do as a group.
“Then, if anything else happens, that's happy days, but it's not at the forefront of my mind.”
Davies has just turned 32, but is looking in great shape and appears to have plenty of miles left in the tank.
“I want to play as long as I can. I look after myself quite well,” he says.
“I am excited to be back. It's nice to be back in Wales.”
At Cardiff, he will be competing with new international Ellis Bevan, left, who started both Tests on the recent Welsh tour of Australia.
“Ellis has done w e l l , t o be fair to him. I am excited to work with him. We can work together and hopefully put that Cardiff No.9 shirt in a good place.”
As for what he will bring to the party, Davies says: “I see my game management as quite a big thing, especially coming from Saracens, where the No.9 role is massive.
“My decision-making has got better with age and as a scrum-half that's one of the biggest things, making good decisions at rucks and seeing space with vision.
“I just think everything about my game has got better and more mature.
“So, hopefully, I can bring what I have learned back to a few of the young lads.”
