WATCH: Keyboard-playing Angelo Davids is dancing to a special tune for the Lions
Image: Backpagepix
When nobody is watching, Lions wing Angelo Davids plays the keyboard in his room. But on the field, he plays a different tune with ball in hand.
We saw that last week when the former Western Province man dazzled the Sharks' defence to score two tries and announce to the rugby world that there is vibrant rugby life for him outside of Cape Town.
'It was a great start for me, personally, which is what I wanted,' Davids said of his emphatic start to his Lions career. 'But that is in the past. It is a new week and a new game (against Western Province). I have to focus on my principles to get better.'
The Lions like to give the ball air, and former Blitzbok Davids says this suits his style of play.
'I 100 percent enjoy the way the Lions play,' Davids said. 'But it also helps to get game time, and I didn't get a lot of that in Cape Town. The more you play, the more opportunity you have to perform.'
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Davids understands that he has big boots to fill in that he is taking over from Springbok Edwill van der Merwe, who has moved to the Sharks.
'Edwill is a heck of a player, but I need to do what I need to do to become the best,' he said.
'I need to keep going, doing the small things behind the scenes when nobody is watching. That is what counts. I need to keep grinding away to become the best I can be.'
Davids' old team, WP, are blooding youngsters, as is the norm for the big unions in the Currie Cup, and that makes them dangerous in the eyes of the 26-year-old.
'They are a threat because we don't know a lot of their guys, so we need to focus on ourselves to be successful on the weekend. We must get our principles right and nail our detail.
'Province will be hungry because they lost at the weekend (to the Bulls), so they will come out firing. We must stay calm and relaxed, and do what we need to do.'
On a personal level, Davids says he needs to be the best version of himself.
'My goal is to become the best Angelo Davids. To do that, I need to perform the best I can on and off the field. I must make sure I do my recovery right and get my detail right. I must do what I know I can do to improve in every way.'
Away from rugby, Davids says he retreats into a musical world.
'I love playing the keyboard when I want to take a break from rugby. I go into my room and play worship music, and relax my mind. That is what I love doing.'
Ultimately, he knows he has to pay back the Lions for their trust in him.
'The Lions got me to Johannesburg to do a job. They signed me because they know what I can do, and I need to deliver on the rugby field.'
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