Trevor Davison relishing his remarkable rugby journey
A third-team hooker at Blaydon five years ago and a beer delivery man as recently as last May, the 25-year-old has taken to full-time rugby with a level of enthusiasm and ability which is reaping well-deserved rewards.
“I’m absolutely delighted with where I am at the moment and how things are going,” said the former England Counties international, a fully-fledged Geordie who is beaming at the prospect of representing his hometown club in Saturday’s European Challenge Cup opener against Welsh side Dragons at Kingston Park Stadium.
“When I first signed I thought hopefully I might get a few European or Anglo-Welsh Cup games, but I’ve been involved in every Aviva Premiership match so far. I made my first start last weekend at Exeter which was massive for me personally, and I’m just loving the whole thing.
“I just try my best in training every day, keep chipping away and keep learning from the players who are here. Hopefully I’ve already made some decent progress but I know there’s a lot more to come.”
Helped in no small part by the fact his director of rugby at Blaydon was Falcons forwards coach Micky Ward, Davison explained: “When Micky first came to Blaydon five years ago I was playing hooker for the third team, and he changed me to prop straightaway. I’ve been there ever since and he’s taught me a few tricks of the trade – fortunately it’s led to where I am now and I’ll always be grateful to him.
“My outlook is just to try and achieve more every year, and to keep learning. Whatever I achieve this season I want to do more next season, and that’s just my attitude to life. Obviously this is a full-time environment and training is a lot more intense, but with Micky being my coach at Blaydon I was pretty used to the kinds of things a Premiership club does in training.
“At first it was hard adjusting into a fully-professional schedule but I think I’ve done OK, and I had a physical job prior to doing this. I was lifting beer barrels all day every day, and rugby is basically just hoying things around! An 80-kilo keg of beer takes a bit of shifting, and hopefully that has helped me.
“What has been new to me is doing things like dynamic stability sessions, standing on one leg and all that kind of thing. It all helps, and the way we get looked after by the conditioners and medical staff here is outstanding in terms of keeping the boys fresh.”
Revealing how his move into the professional ranks forced him to press the pause button on a move to the other side of the world, he added: “Rugby was my hobby but now it’s my job as well, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
“Had it not been for the contract at the Falcons I would have moved to Australia in the summer because I had a club all set up over there, where I was going to work and play for a couple of years. That’s always going to be there in the future if I need it, but for the time being I’m just enjoying working hard here at Newcastle.
“It was an unbelievable feeling running out for my first Premiership start at Exeter last weekend. Everything, the crowd, the stadium – I never ever dreamt I would be there, and to have that experience was just amazing. I was propping against an England international having been playing in National One last year, and I loved the whole thing.
“Exeter won the league last year and we got a four-try bonus point down there. Obviously you want to win every game so we’re not sat here saying it was great, but we feel like we’re making progress this season and that we can build from here.
“The Premiership stuff has gone alright but Europe is a new start for us, and we want to show up well against the Dragons on Saturday. If we stick to our tasks, play how we can play then we should come away with the win. For me that’s basically getting my head down and going forward, which is the aim.”
Tickets for Saturday’s 3pm kick-off are available by [**clicking here**][1], calling 0871 226 6060 or from Kingston Park Stadium in person.
[1]: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/newcastle-falcons/details/event.aspx?itemref=3173
