Gareth Davies joins an elite group

May 28, 2024
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Ultimate Rugby

Wales scrum-half Davies took his tally of league tries up to 50 with a double in the Scarlets’ victory over Zebre Parma in the last round of BKT URC matches.

He’s only the second Welshman to reach a half century, following in the footsteps of his regional colleague Steff Evans, and just the seventh player overall.

Only Evans (54), Tim Visser and DTH Van der Merwe (both 58), Craig Gilroy (59) and record holder Tommy Bowe (67) now stand above him on the all-time list, where he lies joint sixth with Andrew Trimble.

The prolific Davies is the highest scoring scrum-half in the competition’s history and the only player from outside of the back three in the top 10.

His Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel - himself a former international No 9 - is glowing in his praise for the man from Carmarthenshire.

“If you look at him as a try scorer, he has been phenomenal,” he says.

“He has scored some fantastic tries. He scores the wonder tries and he’s still doing that, but he’s also got an eye for support lines. I think the great players have that.

All-time top try scorers

67 - Tommy Bowe (Ulster/Ospreys)

59 - Craig Gilroy (Ulster)

58 - Tim Visser (Edinburgh), DTH Van der Merwe (Glasgow/Scarlets)

54 - Steff Evans (Scarlets)

50 - Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Andrew Trimble (Ulster)

49 - Dan Evans (Scarlets, Dragons, Ospreys)

48 - Dave Kearney (Leinster)

46 - Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets)

45 - Tom James (Cardiff, Scarlets), Simon Zebo (Munster)

44 - Andrew Conway (Munster)

42 - Rhys Webb (Ospreys)