Claude Davey

Claude Davey (14 December 1908 – 18 February 2001) was a Wales international rugby union player who played club rugby for several teams, most notably Sale and Swansea. He was awarded 23 caps for Wales and captained his country eight times. Davey was a hard tackling centre and his most famous performance took place on 21 December 1935 when he led Wales to a historic 13–12 victory over the All Blacks at Cardiff.

Early career Davey was one of the outstanding Welsh players of his generation, known for his impressive crash-tackling and strong running ability. He was often criticised for poor handling, but Davey tended to run onto the ball at speed requiring not only good timing but good passing from his teammates. When it failed it was classed as 'bad hands' but when it worked Davey would make distinct attacking headway. This style of play was described in 1930 by the Llanelly Mercury as 'he can do nothing except emulate a battering ram, and too often he forgets to take the ball with him'.

Davey first came to notice while playing for the Wales Secondary Schools, before gaining a place for a Wales University XV, while he was studying electrical engineering at Swansea University. His first club team, was 'the Mond' a colliery team that would later become Cwmgors, moving to Swansea in 1928. His first game for Swansea came in December of the same year against Skewen.

International rugby Davey was called up for Wales at the end of the 1929/30 season in the final game of the tournament against France. In an extremely rough match Davey made a very good impression.

He first captained Wales against Scotland in 1934, and would captain his nation a further seven times.

International matches played Wales 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938 1930, 1931 1931, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938 1935 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 1931