Born in Carmarthenshire in 1962, Jonathan’s first experience with rugby was with the Welsh-medium class at Trimsaran Primary School Encouraged by his teacher, Meirion Davies, he started playing for Rugby Sevens at a young age, showing immense potential. Despite lacking in a strong physique, his talent spoke for itself and even sparked the attention of local rugby legend, Carwyn James.
Playing for West Wales Under 12’s, 1974 saw Jonathan’s first game at Cardiff Arms Park. Jonathan later played for Trimsaran RFC at an amateur level, whilst his father captained the club. Armed with an impressive skill set, it wasn’t long before Neath RFC signed Jonathan in 1982, to prove his capabilities at fly-half. Over the course of 35 games, Jonathan showed the club exactly what he could do, leading to him being picked for Wales in their game against England at the Cardiff Park Arms. In celebration of his fantastic performance in the match, he was named Man of the Match. He then went on to captain Neath before moving to Llanelli.
In 1989 to 1990, Jonathan began his professional rugby league career playing for Widnes. Playing as a centre, he played an integral role in their victory against Canberra Raiders, inspiring his selection to play for the Great Britain National Rugby league Team in the 1989 to 1992 season. However, following his wife’s illness, Jonathan returned to Rugby Union to continue playing professionally for Cardiff RFC.
In 1996, Jonathan was awarded an MBE at Buckingham Palace. Since his retirement, he has gone on to work as a commentator and rugby pundit for the BBC. Hosting his own rugby themed chat show in 2004, named Jonathan on S4C, he introduced the Welsh international matches, sharing his analysis and predictions for the game. He is also a keen supporter of the Wooden Spoon charity, and in 2015, in recognition for his charitable services to people with cancer, Davies was awarded the OBE.
In his public speaking, Jonathan talks about more than rugby. From love and loss to peak performance and mental resilience, his topics of discussion are valuable both on the pitch and in the boardroom.
