06 Jun Bradley Davies joins Bridgend Ravens Coaching Team
Bridgend Ravens are pleased to announce that Bradley Davies will join the club’s Management Team for the 2023/24 season as Assistant Coach.
Davies drew the curtain on his playing career at the tail end of the 2022/23 season following a stellar career which saw him earn 66 caps for Wales and also saw him captain his country on the 2013 tour to Japan. He featured in the 2011 Rugby World Cup for Wales, playing in all of his nation’s games.
He was snapped up by Cardiff Blues as a 14 year old after a youth career in which he turned out for Pontyclun, Llantrisant and Beddau. His professional career saw him enjoy spells with Cardiff, Wasps and the Ospreys.
The 36 year old second row played his final professional match of a 20 year career on Wednesday evening for the Barbarians against Swansea RFC. With his playing days behind him, Davies is now making his move into coaching as an Assistant Coach with Bridgend, alongside a similar role within the Ospreys Age Grade Setup. He has a self confessed passion for coaching, especially the lineout and is looking forward to getting started working alongside his former Ospreys team mate, Tom Smith at the Ravens.
“I am really excited and privileged to be able to join the coaching staff at Bridgend Ravens. Bridgend has a massive place in Welsh history and some great players have played here over the generations.
When I was a young academy player at the Celtic Warriors, I made the Brewery Field home and had my first taste of being in a professional environment here. I remember as a kid watching Bridgend v Pontypridd on the Brewery, packed to the rafters and getting the players to sign my programme that I still have to this day.
I’ve played professional rugby for the best part of 20 years and my next step and real passion is coaching. I have a real passion for set piece, especially the line-out. I am a very ambitious, and forward thinking person. I feel that Bridgend Ravens is the place I can come an add real value while also learning the trade alongside the outstanding and young group of coaches we have, but my most important job and goal is making us an excellent set piece team with a pack of forwards that are feared and respected thought out the league and ultimately helping us get to top end of the Welsh Premiership and bringing exciting winning rugby back to Bridgend.”
Tom Smith was delighted to add Bradley to his backroom team “It’s great news that we’ve got Bradley Davies joining our coaching group at Bridgend. Brad has always had an interest in coaching, having performed a number of duties at the Ospreys whilst still playing. Now comes the time for him to move onto the next stage of his rugby career, and we are thrilled that part of his new role with the Ospreys will enable him to contribute to the development of the players at Bridgend.
He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game, which I’m sure will stand the players and squad as a whole in good stead for next season. Brad has had an illustrious playing career, forged through plenty of hard work and grit, and I’m sure he’ll show the same work ethic and determination in his coaching. I look forward to welcoming Brad and the rest of our team back when we start back training for pre-season in the coming weeks.”