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Wales Online
2 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
The Gareth Davies interview: I'm not ready to hang up boots yet and my plans for life after rugby
The Gareth Davies interview: I'm not ready to hang up boots yet and my plans for life after rugby Gareth Davies' business Blackbear Property is thriving but he has no intention of hanging up his boots just yet Sarah Howe and Gareth Davies, of Blackbear (Image: Submitted ) There have been few better servants to Welsh rugby over the past decade than Gareth Davies. The 77-cap former Wales star played a pivotal role in Welsh rugby's successes in the latter part of the first Warren Gatland era. Who can forget his sensational try against England at Twickenham which knocked Stuart Lancaster's side out of their own World Cup? Or his crucial interception try which went a long way to knocking over the Wallabies in Tokyo four years later? "When I look back at my career there are a few moments which stand out," he said. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. "The first is winning my first cap out in South Africa in 2014 which was a special day for myself and my family. The second one would be scoring that important try against England in 2015 to knock them out of their own World Cup. "There was also winning the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2019 and reaching a semi-final in the World Cup. Article continues below "Scoring that interception try against Australia was great as well. I played against some great players as well and I'd have to say Faf de Klerk was the toughest opponent I faced. "I played against him a few times and he was a tough guy to play against because he was everywhere defensively. "He literally had a free role to do what he wanted and I think his role was to close me down at every ruck. "A lot of scrum-halves would defend out on the wide edges or short side but I found Faf was shadowing me at every ruck I went to. He'd be trying to scrag me and I always found him difficult to play against. "I'm also privileged to have played with some great players and if I had to pick one I'd say Liam Williams in his prime was the best I've played with. "When he was in his prime he was a hell of a player and would never have a bad game. "He would always give 100% and have something magical up his sleeve." It's safe to say Davies' rugby career has been a resounding success, but the 34-year-old has been just as successful off the field. A year ago Davies, alongside his business partner Simon John, set up his own estate agent, Blackbear Property in Haverfordwest, with it going so well they recently opened up a second branch in Llansamlet, Swansea. "We launched Blackbear just over 12 months ago," Davies tells WalesOnline. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "We opened our first office in Haverfordwest with my business partner Simon John. We've got a couple of guys working with us, Jamie and Jack, who cover Pembrokeshire and Sarah who takes care of Swansea. "They are the agents doing all the hard work in the office day to day. "I've known Simon for quite a long time because he's worked alongside my parents with the hotel's Gellifawr Woodland Retreat and Emlyn Hotel which are popular wedding venues. "Simon approached me about two years ago and he seemed to think there was a bit of a gap in the market for an estate agent in Haverfordwest. "I'm obviously not hands-on day to day but rugby is my main priority at the moment. "I'm also going to be working with my dad's car business, Cawdor cars. We have six garages covering south west Wales so I'm going to be very busy. Jamie, Jack, Sarah & Gareth Davies of Blackbear (Image: Submitted ) "Between Blackbear and working in the car industry with my dad hopefully the transition from when I finished playing rugby will be fairly smooth. "Once I finish I'll be busy trying to sell houses or cars." Blackbear credits its runaway success to its blend of the modern and traditional, embracing technology and forming an exclusive partnership with digital agency, The Honey agency, while also maintaining a strong high street presence. Davies is confident the commitment and drive which helped him reach the top as a player will bode well in the world of business. "It's going to take a lot of hard work but I'm confident we will continue being successful and go from strength to strength," he said. "Similar to rugby, if you work hard and are willing to put the hours in you can achieve success. I've got some ambitious expansion plans and Swansea is just the start. "We will actively be looking to set up franchise operations in areas such as Cardiff, Monmouthshire and Bristol. "But I've still got a lot left to give as a professional rugby player." Last summer Davies made the difficult decision to call time on his international career after 77 caps, two Six Nations titles and two British & Irish Lions tours. Davies is at the tail-end of his career but has been the best scrum-half in Wales by some distance this season, playing a crucial role in the Scarlets' resurgence as they reached the United Rugby Championship play-offs which means they are the only Welsh representative in next season's Investec Champions Cup. "I think what's been massive for me last season is I retired from international rugby this time last year after the summer tour," Davies tells WalesOnline. Gareth Davies of Scarlets is one of the form players in Wales right now (Image: Huw Evans Agency ) "It took a lot of weight off my shoulders. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "It's great playing for Wales but it comes with a lot of pressure. When things are going well and you are winning, there's no better environment to be in but when things aren't going so well it's tough. "I just felt last year was the right time for me to walk away. I've thoroughly enjoyed my rugby with the Scarlets last season and I think having the weight of not having to play international rugby really helped me. "Having a bit of time off during the Six Nations and autumn campaign gave me a chance to recharge my batteries mentally and physically. "It's also been good to work with some of the young nines at the Scarlets like Archie Hughes. "It's probably something I've done naturally over the last few years. I'm not the biggest speaker and I don't speak for the sake of it in meetings but I'd like to think that whenever I do speak and whatever points I do bring up they are important messages." Davies is the elder statesman in the squad but remains a key cog in a Scarlets back division which includes some of the best young talent in Welsh rugby. And the man from Newcastle Emlyn is confident there is a lot more to come from the Scarlets next season. "There's been a lot of talk about Macs Page, Blair Murray and Ellis Mee," he said. "They really do deserve that exposure because I really do think they are very exciting players for us. "Macs has the ability to play wing and centre and is a really exciting player. "I think they will grow and grow as time goes. It was a good season overall in the end. "I know we had a disappointing couple of months before Christmas where we lost four or five games by one score, while we also drew a game as well. "Looking back, if we could have sneaked a win in one or two of those games we could have been right up the table in the mix for a home play-off rather than just sneaking in. "I think we had a good strong end to the season where every game was important leading up to the last week. "We had four or five bonus-point wins on the bounce which allowed us to get some momentum. "But I do think there's a lot more to come from this squad next season." Davies is already well on the path to forging a successful career as a businessman when he eventually hangs up his boots. But when will that be and how much has he got left in the tank? "I've got a year left on my contract with the Scarlets so we shall see," he said. "The main thing for me is I have to be enjoying my rugby. "I'm really enjoying my rugby at the moment and want to continue. Without the pressure of playing international rugby anymore I think I can continue as a professional for a couple of years yet. "I might have the opportunity to sign an extension with the Scarlets or if something comes up abroad it is something I'd like to consider. "I haven't got much interest in coaching or any lines of work like that. To be honest when I finish playing rugby I'm just looking forward to being a fan. Article continues below "I will just sit back and enjoy watching rugby. I've got no interest in coaching but I do enjoy doing a bit of broadcasting. "I've done a fair bit of work with S4C. It is probably something a few years ago I wouldn't have thought I'd have enjoyed but I've loved doing it over the last 18 months."
Washington Post
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
5 new mystery novels to read this spring
Spring is a time for fresh beginnings, so why not celebrate the season by sampling the work of a new mystery author? These five mysteries showcase a diverse array of settings and detectives. Vera Wong isn't your typical private eye. For one thing, she's a self-described 'little old lady,' and for another, her investigative methods rely heavily on feeding potential suspects mountains of food. But Wong is successful; when she recently discovered a dead man in her Chinatown teahouse, she cracked the case before the San Francisco police did. Ready to tackle another investigation, Wong meets a young woman named Millie who is desperately trying to find a missing friend. The search takes Wong deep into the universe of social media influencers before she comes face-to-face with the heartbreaking truth about Millie's friend. Vera Wong isn't your typical private eye. For one thing, she's a self-described 'little old lady,' and for another, her investigative methods rely heavily on feeding potential suspects mountains of food. But Wong is successful; when she recently discovered a dead man in her Chinatown teahouse, she cracked the case before the San Francisco police did. Ready to tackle another investigation, Wong meets a young woman named Millie who is desperately trying to find a missing friend. The search takes Wong deep into the universe of social media influencers before she comes face-to-face with the heartbreaking truth about Millie's friend. It's the 1970s, and Cash Blackbear, a college student, has a job doing fieldwork in the Red River Valley between North Dakota and Minnesota. She also does investigative work for Sheriff Wheaton, who has come to rely on Blackbear for her connections to the Indigenous community and her innate ability to suss out the source of trouble. This time, he asks Blackbear to help a terrified little girl who has witnessed a murder and whose mother is suddenly missing. As she searches for the mother, however, Blackbear becomes a target for a killer. It's the 1970s, and Cash Blackbear, a college student, has a job doing fieldwork in the Red River Valley between North Dakota and Minnesota. She also does investigative work for Sheriff Wheaton, who has come to rely on Blackbear for her connections to the Indigenous community and her innate ability to suss out the source of trouble. This time, he asks Blackbear to help a terrified little girl who has witnessed a murder and whose mother is suddenly missing. As she searches for the mother, however, Blackbear becomes a target for a killer. Freelance editor Susan Ryeland thought she'd finally seen the last of the Atticus Pünd detective books. So she is surprised to be asked to work on the manuscript for a 'new' Atticus Pünd mystery, written by Eliot Crace, grandson of the late children's author Miriam Crace. In need of work, Ryeland reluctantly agrees to the job. But after learning that Eliot Crace is using the manuscript to reveal the person he believes killed his grandmother 20 years ago, she begins to investigate the Crace family and finds herself in grave danger. In this follow-up to 'Magpie Murders' and 'Moonflower Murders,' Horowitz offers readers another page-turner of a puzzle, once again cleverly told as a story within a story. Freelance editor Susan Ryeland thought she'd finally seen the last of the Atticus Pünd detective books. So she is surprised to be asked to work on the manuscript for a 'new' Atticus Pünd mystery, written by Eliot Crace, grandson of the late children's author Miriam Crace. In need of work, Ryeland reluctantly agrees to the job. But after learning that Eliot Crace is using the manuscript to reveal the person he believes killed his grandmother 20 years ago, she begins to investigate the Crace family and finds herself in grave danger. In this follow-up to 'Magpie Murders' and 'Moonflower Murders,' Horowitz offers readers another page-turner of a puzzle, once again cleverly told as a story within a story. When police call her in the middle of the night, Karachi archaeologist Gul Delani assumes there's news of her missing teenage niece. Instead, Delani is summoned to the scene of a failed drug bust where police have found a mummy in a sarcophagus decorated with symbols of ancient Persepolis. Asked by police to authenticate the mummy, Delani discovers clues that may connect the mummy to her niece's disappearance. Inspired by a real-life antiquities scandal in Pakistan, Phillips's novel immerses readers in the teeming Pakistani city as she details how Delani's quest for the truth may imperil not just her but also her family and friends. When police call her in the middle of the night, Karachi archaeologist Gul Delani assumes there's news of her missing teenage niece. Instead, Delani is summoned to the scene of a failed drug bust where police have found a mummy in a sarcophagus decorated with symbols of ancient Persepolis. Asked by police to authenticate the mummy, Delani discovers clues that may connect the mummy to her niece's disappearance. Inspired by a real-life antiquities scandal in Pakistan, Phillips's novel immerses readers in the teeming Pakistani city as she details how Delani's quest for the truth may imperil not just her but also her family and friends. The second book in Gerritsen's 'Martini Club' series expertly blends family drama with spy-thriller suspense, sending readers racing through the pages to find out what happens next. When a teenager is abducted in Purity, Maine, farmer Luther Yount is the prime suspect because he was the last one to see the girl. But retired CIA operative Maggie Bird is convinced that Yount, her neighbor and friend, is innocent, and she sets out to prove it, joined by several fellow CIA retirees who all have settled in Purity. Acting police chief Jo Thibodeau reluctantly accepts their help after decades-old human bones are found in a local pond. Believing there might be a connection between the two cases, Thibodeau and the CIA retirees uncover some of Purity's long-hidden secrets. Karen MacPherson is the former children's and teen coordinator at the Takoma Park Maryland Library and a lifelong mystery fan. The second book in Gerritsen's 'Martini Club' series expertly blends family drama with spy-thriller suspense, sending readers racing through the pages to find out what happens next. When a teenager is abducted in Purity, Maine, farmer Luther Yount is the prime suspect because he was the last one to see the girl. But retired CIA operative Maggie Bird is convinced that Yount, her neighbor and friend, is innocent, and she sets out to prove it, joined by several fellow CIA retirees who all have settled in Purity. Acting police chief Jo Thibodeau reluctantly accepts their help after decades-old human bones are found in a local pond. Believing there might be a connection between the two cases, Thibodeau and the CIA retirees uncover some of Purity's long-hidden secrets. Karen MacPherson is the former children's and teen coordinator at the Takoma Park Maryland Library and a lifelong mystery fan.
