Whenever the Six Nations looms out of the wintry murk it is important to give a respectful nod to the gladiators of yesteryear. On Sunday, as it happens, one of the unsung heroes of English rugby celebrated his 80th birthday in deepest Dorset, a suitable milestone for a man who coached his country to a grand slam in 1980, their first championship clean sweep since 1957.
Mike Davis has been battling Parkinson’s of late but can still occasionally be found practising a few wedge shots on the playing fields adjoining his home in Sherborne.
