Meet Fern Davies: The Wales international in rugby league and netball
Fern Davies never dreamed of playing rugby league until last year, but since then she has gone on to win international honours for her beloved Wales.
The 25-year-old played netball from the age of eight and represented her country in the age groups from 14 through to open age.
She played at the 2018 Commonwealth Games as well as enjoying three seasons in the Netball Super League.
Davies, who is also ex-Army, never thought about playing rugby league until she watched the Wales women in action last year, which led to her linking up with Warrington.
“I watched the Wales internationals last season because I knew a few people so I was interested in rugby league then,” Davies told Love Rugby League.
“I joined Warrington in November and was literally expecting to play reserves at club level and luckily for me I made the Super League team. After our Challenge Cup campaign, the Wales coach called me and asked me to come down to a training camp.
“I stopped playing netball in lockdown, I just wanted to move on with my career in the Army. But when I left the Army I found myself missing playing elite sport but I didn’t really want to go back to netball. I just missed the team environment that you get in sport. I know that rugby has got an amazing culture because I watched my brother play so that’s why I was keen to try rugby league.”
Fern Davies on becoming a dual-Welsh international
Davies is a Protective Services lecturer at Cheshire College by day, and a rugby league player for Wales and Warrington by night.
The North Wales-based player earned the ultimate honour last weekend as she made her Wales debut against England.
“I was really nervous because I didn’t want to mess up!” Davies laughed.
“I am still trying to understand things myself but just pulling on the red shirt itself was amazing so it was pure excitement.
“I’ve never seen my brother as buzzing as he was, I think I was living his dream a bit there. It was amazing, my dad was very proud but I think my mum was more terrified when watching me play! We are all massive fans of rugby league now and it was a nice experience for us all to be there.”
Davies could win her second cap when Wales host Italy in Cross Keys on Sunday afternoon.
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