St Helens forward on family connection and 2025 goals

St Helens man Jake Davies has detailed his first-team ambitions after being handed a squad number for the first time.

Alongside Cole Marsh, he was a 2024 Academy Grand Finalist given his first official squad number, taking the number 34 shirt for the 2025 season.

Two players from the Reserves side, who were 2024 champions, were also given their first squad numbers, Ciaran Nolan and Alfie Sinclair.

Davies, brother of first-teamer Ben, was part of the under-18s last year and played for England Academy against France alongside fellow Saints George Whitby, Harry Robertson and Owen Dagnall, who are all part of the first-team also in 2025.

He has played in a number of positions but is primarily a forward, more specifically a back-rower.

Jake Davies details ambitions after being handed St Helens’ first-team number

🗨 Jake Davies talks about his first Pre-Season, working alongside his brother Ben, and how much it meant to get a Saints squad number#COYS pic.twitter.com/B9DwNaEDMz

— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) November 29, 2024

Speaking to club media, he said of his journey towards the first team: “I’ve been playing multiple different positions, loose forward, second row, centre, and just enjoying everything I can, playing academy, reserves, obviously scholarship before that, hopefully trying to make a first-team debut at some point.”

Asked about working alongside his brother in the squad, he added: “It’s massive, yeah. As you said, Ben, already being a part of the team, it’s big to try and learn from him and try and get to where he is now, the next step up. Yeah, it meant everything to me and my family.

“It’s a bit of something different. I don’t know if he loves it, but just learning anything I can from him and just getting around all the lads, really.”

As well as his brother, he’s learning from other players, noting: “James Bell, Curtis Sironen and Joe Batchelor, trying to pick up different things from their game to try and add to mine.”