WALES SCRUM-HALF Gareth Davies announced his retirement from international rugby union on Friday, just four days after veteran centre Jonathan Davies also called it quits.
Gareth Davies won 77 caps for Wales in a Test career that lasted 10 years and featured two tours with the British and Irish Lions.
The 34-year-old, who made his Wales debut in 2014 against South Africa, was selected to play in three World Cups.
He was also part of Wales’ Six Nations Grand Slam in 2019, as well as the 2021 Six Nations Championship-winning team.
Scarlets half-back Davies competed in the World Cup in France last year, but has decided to call time on his international commitments.
“I’ve decided that, after 10 incredible years playing for Wales, I am retiring from international rugby. It was my childhood dream to represent my country and I have loved every moment in a Wales jersey,” Davies said.
“From winning my first cap on the summer tour back in 2014, to playing in three Rugby World Cups, winning a Six Nations championship and a Grand Slam. It really has been special.”
Davies’s decision comes just days before Wales boss Warren Gatland is due to name his squad for the November Tests against Fiji, Australia and South Africa.
“Gareth has been a great player for Wales over the last decade and he has always given everything in the red jersey,” Gatland said.
Former Wales and British Lions centre Jonathan Davies announced his retirement from the game on Sunday, bringing the curtain down on a career which brought 96 caps and two Six Nations Grand Slams.
Elsewhere, Tommaso Allan will return to international duty for Italy after an eight-month absence following his selection on Thursday in coach Gonzalo Quesada’s 34-man squad for the Autumn Nations Series.
Perpignan fly-half Allan announced in February that he would put his international career on hold to prioritise spending time with his family but returns for matches with Argentina, Georgia and New Zealand next month.
Italy won two matches and drew another in an impressive Six Nations earlier in the year, and ex-Argentina fly-half Quesada continued his promising start to his tenure as head coach with further wins over Japan and Tonga in July.
Allan missed all of those positive results, making the last of his 80 Italy appearances during the 27-24 home defeat by England which kicked off their most recent Six Nations campaign.
Italy
Forwards:
Tommaso di Bartolomeo (Parma), Lorenzo Cannone (Treviso), Niccolo Cannone Treviso), Pietro Ceccarelli (Perpignan/FRA), Riccardo Favretto (Treviso), Simone Ferrari (Treviso), Danilo Fischetti (Parma), Alessandro Izekor (Treviso), Michele Lamaro (Treviso), Dino Lamb (Harlequins/ENG), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Toulon/FRA), Sebastian Negri (Treviso), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Francais/FRA), Federico Ruzza (Treviso), Marco Riccioni (Saracens/ENG), Mirco Spagnolo (Treviso), Ross Vintcent (Exeter/ENG), Andrea Zambonin (Parma), Manuel Zuliani (Treviso)
Backs:
Tommaso Allan (Perpignan/FRA), Giulio Bertaccini (Valorugby Emilia), Juan Ignacio Brex (Treviso), Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse/FRA), Alessandro Fusco (Parma), Matt Gallagher (Treviso), Alessandro Garbisi (Treviso), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon/FRA), Monty Ioane (Lyon/FRA), Louis Lynagh (Treviso), Leonardo Marin (Treviso), Tommaso Menoncello (Treviso), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon/FRA), Jacopo Trulla (Parma), Marco Zanon (Treviso)
