Sam Davies: Drinking session cost me chance for Wales caps

The 26-year-old, who moved to Rodney Parade from the Ospreys last summer, won the last of his eight caps against Samoa in June 2017.

Davies returned to the international stage in the uncapped fixture against the Barbarians last November in Wayne Pivac's first game in charge and was then called up because of injuries during the Six Nations.

He believes his time in the wilderness wasn't purely down to the form of other number 10s – pointing to an incident in Samoa.

"It's something I look back at with regret and put me back in the pecking order," Davies told the Scrum V podcast.

"I got a bit drunk at the end of the trip and did not get back in the Wales squad until last year when the new coaches were in.

"That's my fault and I have learned from my mistakes. I was 23. We were in Samoa, it was a lovely country but the problem was the food was making us sick.

"We had not eaten all week and we were playing the games off these carbohydrate drinks.

"We were just feeling ill before the game and I remember just running into the changing room before the game and being sick.

"We managed to win a scrappy game and afterwards our flight got delayed by about four or five hours.

"We were sitting in this nice hotel and some of the boys decided to have a few drinks.

"It was the last game of a long old season, my first full season with Wales and I had enjoyed it with some great experiences, so I decided to let my hair down.

"I drank too much vodka with Scott Baldwin and Aaron Shingler, who could probably drink a bit more than me.

"I went a bit deadweight on the way to the airport so the boys had to carry me around. It was not the greatest look for somebody in an international set-up.

"The flight then got cancelled and I had to get carried back. So we are not talking about a good impression on that trip."

The tour party was led by Robin McBryde and Shaun Edwards while Gatland and Rob Howley were on Lions duty in New Zealand.

"The coaches did not speak to me (about the incident) but they did speak to the leadership group and they told me," said Davies.

"Essentially it did have a massive effect on my career at that time.

"I am not saying I came off the back of that trip playing really good rugby because I was struggling with a groin injury as well but it definitely did not help my image at the time.

"I was silly but everybody makes mistakes. Luckily it did not make the papers. Maybe I had to go through that to get where I am now.

"I have learned because I did not get back into the squad until last year for the Barbarians game."

Davies was brought back into the fold by Pivac but still faces a battle to win cap number nine.

Dan Biggar, Jarrod Evans and Rhys Patchell are ahead of him in the pecking order while Gareth Anscombe is on the comeback trail after the injury that ended his World Cup dreams last summer.

The playmaker earned the chance to show Pivac what he can do at close quarters thanks to influential performances at Rodney Parade and aims to keep knocking on the door.

"What's gone has gone and being in and around the new coaches is hopefully a positive new start," said Davies.

"Over the last few years I have matured massively and that has shown with my Dragons performances.

"I am at a good point in my career and would like to think I am in the Wales mix.

"From being out of the squad for so long, getting that call for the Barbarians match and being involved with the Six Nations squad was refreshing and gives you hope.

"That is the reason I stayed in Wales in the first place."