Rugby World Cup: 'Whitland Wonders' bring fame to small village

Mike Phillips scored against Ireland and France. Photo / Paul Estcourt

You might call them the Whitland Wonders. Three of the starting XV against Australia - and two bona fide stars of the Welsh team - learnt their rugby at a club in the village of Whitland, in south-west Wales, previously not known for anything but a rare species of trout.

Halfback Mike Phillips, who scored crucial tries against Ireland and France, along with centres Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams are all alumni of Whitland RFC.

"It is fantastic for the club that they have three players in the squad," says Davies, "and the reaction back home has been amazing. Our old PE teachers and my sportsmasters have been doing interviews - which gives an appreciation of what they've done. It is a special place and a unique club; whatever they can do to help, people put themselves out to help you."

For a New Zealand parallel, it might be equivalent to three current All Blacks being alumni of a rugby club in Pirongia or Kawakawa. In the past, Whitland was probably better known for the large creamery (which closed down in 1994), and a particularly elusive type of trout renowned for its eggs and oily scales. That all changed after the quarter-final victory over Ireland in Wellington.

"It was a great day for Whitland," Phillips said during his man-of-the-match interview, broadcast around the world. "There was a try from another boy from Whitland - 'Jonny Fox'. We're both from the same school, so a big shout out to Whitland."

Fox is the nickname of Davies, alluding to the Fox and Hound pub his parents have owned since he was young.

"I was brought up there and since I was four or five I was known as 'John Fox' or 'Foxy'," laughs Davies, whose younger brother is known as "cub". "Growing up in a pub certainly opens your eyes; there were a few rowdy moments but it was a great upbringing. I had a big back garden - behind the pub was a park. My parents owned four pubs in the area and my grandfather was also a publican."

Davies remembers various Welsh internationals dropping by the pub and it was customary for teams from the east to stop in on their way home after a game in west Wales.

Davies came across Phillips at primary school and they would later play together at high school. "We had a half-decent team," admits Davies, "though his brother sometimes kept him out of the team. I don't think he likes being reminded of that."

Davies and Phillips now live in Cardiff but go back to Whitland as often as they can. Phillips spent three hours at the club catching up with his old 1st XV coach the day before the squad flew out to New Zealand, while Davies enjoys the normality that the village brings.

"Back there we are just one of the boys," says Davies, "there is no preferential treatment. Both of us go back in the summer to play cricket for Whitland."

Davies has been one of the stars of this World Cup for Wales. Apart from the physical benefits, he says the now legendary fitness camps in Poland in June created an iron will and credits those experiences for much of their success.

Davies made his debut in May 2009 against Canada but was often preferred to other players over the next two years. He impressed on the New Zealand tour last year but this World Cup has confirmed his midfield combination with Jamie Roberts as one of the best in the world. Still only 23, at 1.86m and 105kg, he provides a physical threat.

Firmly established in the side, perhaps now he can step out from the shadow of his namesake Jonathan Davies, who for a period in the 1980s was regarded as one of the best players in the world before he found similar success in rugby league.

It is equivalent to a player also carrying a name like Richard McCaw trying to make his own mark in 20 years time but Davies says: " To be honest, I felt a lot more pressure being compared with Scott Gibbs. He was a brilliant centre and it was really hard to match was he has done."