Pontypool RFC is pleased to announce the signing of Ethan Davies, who joins the club from the Wales International Sevens set-up, ahead of next season.
It marks the welcome return of a player that featured for the club four times during the 2017-2018 season - most notably against Cardiff Met RFC, when the club sealed its second consecutive WRU Specsavers National Championship title.
The 27-year-old back joins the club after enjoying a five-year stint with the national sevens side. Davies started his rugby education with Talywain RFC and was followed by a stint playing youth rugby for Pontypool United RFC, before joining the Dragons Academy at 16. He would go on to represent Wales Under-20s, as well as enjoy time at Bedwas RFC, Newport RFC and Cross Keys RFC, before his initial stint at Pontypool Park in 2018.
On joining Pooler, Davies said: "After the first game I played for the club in 2018, I knew it was where I wanted to play my fifteen-a-side rugby in the future. The atmosphere and professionalism of the entire club is second to none and it was an easy decision to re-join, when given this opportunity."
With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the World Sevens Series to a grinding halt, Davies is looking to make his mark at Pooler and prove his worth once again. "I'm not arriving at the club with the idea of playing a specific position. I will play where I can be most effective for the team and where the coaches think I will fit in. As long as I am performing well and play my part in hopefully returning the club to the Premiership, I'll be happy.
"I grew up playing with Adam Stratton and followed his debut season with the club with interest. It will be fun to play with Stratts and to link-up with Lloyd Lewis and Scott Matthews again."
The Torfaen local, who was the second highest point scorer in the World Rugby Sevens Series in the 2016-2017 season, will work under the guidance of backs coach, Tom Hancock.
"Ethan is a classy operator,” said Hancock. “He can play at ten or fifteen and I've no doubt that his class will shine through in the Championship. He has spent a lot of his career on the sevens circuit, but he has the ability to rapidly adjust again to fifteens and provide competition for places in a backs division that is crammed full of quality.
"He can read the game well and always looks like he has that extra bit of time on the ball - the hallmark of a quality player. He is capable of putting others into space and with some of the quick and dynamic players we have at the club and that is an exciting prospect. He possesses a fine kicking game and this will be hugely important in the crunch encounters.”
