Former Wales lock Bradley Davies has confirmed his retirement from rugby, after Swansea RFC’s 150th Anniversary celebration match against the Barbarians.
The 36-year-old steps away from rugby, after the match which featured Alun Wyn Jones playing for both the Barbarians and Swansea. Davies lined-up in the row with Ospreys teammate Alun Wyn Jones for the first half, as he donned the famous black and white stripes of the Barbarians.
Davies was on the winning side for his final match, as the Barbarians ran out 68-33 victors over Swansea RFC. This celebration of Welsh rugby featured numerous Wales internationals and Ospreys legends.
Davies spoke after the game, discussing his retirement with BBC Sport.
“Well, I would never say never ever, but it’s my last proper game,”
“I wouldn’t mind jumping in a few more of these, especially after the week we’ve had.
“I didn’t get the chance to finish with the Ospreys at the end of the season, with a couple of things. It is what it is.
“Now I get a chance to play in the region. My family can watch and give me a send-off.”
Davies has played his rugby in Wales for the majority of his career, starting off with a nine-year tenure at Cardiff Blues after graduating the club’s academy. The lock accrued 118 1st team caps for Cardiff, and he even gained international recognition as a Blues player. He scored a crucial try in the 2010 European Challenge Cup Final, as Cardiff came away with the silverware.
Davies was called into the Wales squad and made his off-the-bench debut, during the 2009 Six Nations against Scotland.
Davies has also experienced the honour of captaining Wales, as he led his country out for a two-match series against Japan, in the Summer tour of 2013. This series against the Brave Blossoms ended with a 1-1 draw, with Wales winning the opener 22-18, and Japan equalising in game two, with a 23-8 win.
Davies took a two-year break from playing in Wales, as he signed for Wasps from 2014 to 2016. The towering lock returned to Wales for the 2016/17 season, as he joined up with Ospreys, and remained in Swansea until the end of his career.
He currently holds coaching roles at Ospreys and Bridgend and hopes to land a first-team job in the future. A classic lock with admitted “passion for the lineout”, Davies spoke about his ambitions to continue a career within rugby, albeit from the touchline.
“I’ve got a passion for coaching so I’m hoping to get into that field,” added Davies.
“It’s difficult at the moment with the way rugby is, it’s hard to get jobs. I’ve got an academy job with the Ospreys and some stuff for Bridgend in the evenings.
“I’m looking forward to that. It’s a chance to learn my trade and hopefully build up to a first-team coaching job. That’s my ultimate aim.