Did Sheffield United's owner miss a trick as defender prepares to make his international debut?

It is a little known fact, and one which appears to have escaped the notice of Sheffield United’s owner, that Rhys Norrington Davies wasn’t born in Swansea, St Asaph or Senghenydd but Saudi Arabia.
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The young centre-half laughed when The Star put it to him that HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud might not be too pleased to learn that he could have qualified to play for the Middle Eastern kingdom rather than Wales; where he is spending the week with Ryan Giggs’ squad after receiving his first senior call-up.

But even if he had been approached by officials in Riyadh, Norrington-Davies revealed he would have politely declined their offer. Even, he joked before reporting for duty at the Vale of Glamorgan resort near Cardiff, if it meant incurring the wrath of his parent club’s board.

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“Yes, I was actually born in Saudi,” Norrington-Davies confirmed. “My dad was working over there, but he is Welsh, my mum is Welsh and so that makes me Welsh. I feel Welsh, one hundred per cent Welsh in fact, so right from the start of my career representing Wales is what I’ve always wanted to do.”

Tomorrow, when Giggs’ side visit Wembley for a friendly against England, Norrington-Davies could find himself being thrust into action as the former Manchester United forward looks to finalise his plans for the upcoming Nations League meetings with Bulgaria and the Republic of Ireland - where John Egan, Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick have been drafted by Stephen Kenny. Despite still waiting to make his bow for United, whose youth academy he joined three years ago, Norrington Davies has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents under the FAW’s jurisdiction having impressed during loan spells with Barrow and Rochdale.

Aware of the progress Norrington-Davies is making, and having earmarked him as a potential long-term successor to Jack O’Connell, United manager Chris Wilder sought to accelerate his education by dispatching him to Luton Town earlier this summer. Norrington-Davies, aged 21, has continued on an upward trajectory at Kenilworth Road, making seven appearances and providing two assists, as Nathan Jones’ men entered the international break ranked fifth in the Championship table.

Those displays in Berkshire, combined with a glowing recommendation from former United defender Robert Page, his old coach at under-21 level, persuaded Giggs to summon him to Cardiff ahead of the trips to London, Dublin and Sofia.

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“Rob was brilliant for me,” Norrington-Davies said. “I’ve got so much respect for him, and he’s obviously got a really big interest in what happens at United. What I’ve got to do now is repay the faith that him and Ryan Giggs have shown in me, and hopefully that’s what I can do.”

H.R.H. Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) with Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: Simon Bellis/SportimageH.R.H. Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) with Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
H.R.H. Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) with Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

"If I can do that,” Norrington-Davies continued, “Then maybe I can get some minutes against England and then go from there. It’s just a shame the match is going to be taking place behind closed doors, because of everything that’s going on with coronavirus still, as I know all the family would have been there.”

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Chris Holt, Football Editor