Brian Davies (rugby league) facts for kids

Brian Davies (born May 16, 1930, died November 14, 2012) was a famous Australian rugby league player. He played for both his home state, Queensland, and the Australian national team. Brian played rugby league in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. He played in 27 international matches, called "Tests," between 1951 and 1958. He was even captain of the Australian team three times. Brian played as a Prop forward and a Second rower. He was also very good at kicking goals. He played for clubs in both Brisbane and Sydney. Many people think he was one of Australia's best rugby league players of the 20th century.

Brian Davies' Club Career

Brian Davies was born in Brisbane, Queensland. He did not start playing rugby league until he was 18 years old. A person from the Brisbane Brothers club, Bert Fraser, saw how big he was and asked him to try out for the team in 1948.

Playing for Brisbane Brothers

Brian quickly became a regular player in the top team by 1950. He helped the Brothers club win a major competition in Brisbane in 1956. He then led the team as captain to win another championship in 1958.

Moving to Sydney

In 1959, Brian moved to Sydney. He joined the Canterbury-Bankstown team and became their captain. He played for this team for four seasons.

Returning to Queensland

After his time in Sydney, Brian went back to Queensland in 1963. He became the captain and coach for the St. George district team. His last year playing was in 1964. He returned to the Brisbane Brothers club, where his career had first started, as their captain-coach.

Brian Davies' Representative Career

Before Brian Davies played rugby league, he was a talented water polo player. He played for Queensland's first-ever state water polo team. He even played for Queensland in the 1948 Australian Championships.

Playing for Queensland

Brian made his first appearance for the Queensland state team in 1950. This was the same year he started playing in the top club competition. In 1950, he also played for Queensland against the Great Britain team that was touring Australia.

Playing for Australia (The Kangaroos)

Brian played his first international "Test" match for Australia against France in 1951. He played in all three Tests of that series. In 1952, he was chosen for the Kangaroo tour. This was a big trip where the Australian team played many matches in other countries. He played in all six Tests and 18 other games on that tour.

In 1953, he also went on a tour to New Zealand, playing in three Tests. He continued to play for Australia in important series like the Rugby League Ashes in 1954. He also played in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup and the 1955 series against France. In 1956, he played against New Zealand again.

Brian went on a second Kangaroo Tour in 1956. He played in three Tests and nine other tour matches. He also played in the 1957 Rugby League World Cup. Brian is officially listed as Kangaroo No. 282, which means he was the 282nd player to represent Australia in rugby league.

Captain of Australia

Brian first became captain of the Kangaroos in 1958. This was a special year because it was the 50th anniversary of rugby league. He was captain and coach for all three matches in the Ashes series against the visiting British Lions. Australia lost this series two Tests to one.

The second Test in Brisbane is famous for the amazing effort of the British captain, Alan Prescott. He played for 76 minutes of the match with a broken arm! He refused to leave the field because his team already had only 12 players. Even with these challenges, the British team won the game 25–18.

State of Origin Manager

In 1980, the first-ever Rugby League State of Origin series was held. Brian Davies, along with another Queensland legend, Duncan Hall, was asked to be the manager for the Queensland Maroons team.

Awards and Recognition

Brian Davies received many awards for his outstanding rugby league career.

Greatest Players List

In February 2008, Brian Davies was named in a special list. This list was called "100 Greatest Players" (1908–2007). It was created by the NRL and ARL to celebrate 100 years of rugby league in Australia.

Queensland Team of the Century

In June 2008, Brian was chosen for the Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century. He was picked to play in the second-row position.

Queensland Sport Hall of Fame

In 2009, Brian Davies was honored by being added to the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame. This is a special place for sports heroes from Queensland.

Representative Matches Played

Here is a quick look at the number of games Brian Davies played for his state and country:

Sources

• Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
• Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
• Queensland Team of the Century named – article at nz.leagueunlimited.com