Meet the Welsh Odd Couple: Jonathan Davies and Hadleigh Parkes grew up in towns 12,000 miles apart, one famous for a three-legged pub crawl and the other a race involving bulls' testicles

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They may have grown up 12,000 miles apart but Jonathan Davies and Hadleigh Parkes are from the same stock.

One is the 70-cap two-times Lion from Bancyfelin who grew up in the Fox and Hounds pub – hence the 'Foxy' nickname – and became a Welsh great.

The other is a Kiwi-convert from Hunterville, New Zealand, parachuted into the side in 2017 and already one of Test rugby's most reliable performers.

Ahead of the pivotal Wales v England clash in Cardiff, Sportsmail caught up with the men who will be in the centre of the Six Nations cauldron. 

Jonathan Davies and Hadleigh Parkes have formed a formidable centre partnership for Wales

Davies and Parkes spoke at length to Sportsmail's Will Kelleher ahead of the England clash

England next, with both sides unbeaten. Jon you've played eight times against them – what is different about an England game in Cardiff?

JD: You're a lot more popular, with people asking for tickets! Wales v England… you are brought up on it and there's always an added spice. I remember in 2013 (when Wales won 30-3 to stop an English Grand Slam) England sang the anthem first, I thought: 'Jesus Christ there's a lot of them,' and then the Welsh boys started singing. 

A different level. This game carries the same weight. It's going to be great. The whole city has such a buzz. It's why you want to play, there's no high a level as that.

Hadleigh have you been to a one as a fan?

HP: The 2015 one was the first time I went to the Principality Stadium. The crowd was amazing on that Friday night, when James Haskell ran into the post! A pretty good light display too.

JD: Oh, that was when there was a stand-off in the tunnel when Chris Robshaw wouldn't walk out.

HP: The crowd was awesome, the result didn't go the right way but you know it's going on when the English come to town.

Parkes first attended the Principality Stadium in 2015 to watch England v Wales in Six Nations

Jon you missed 2018's 12-6 defeat with injury, but Hadleigh you played. Does that still rankle as Gareth Anscombe's try was controversially chalked off?

HP: Sometimes things go your way. We got that against France with George North's try when Yoann Huget dropped it.

JD: (sarcastically) A well-placed kick wasn't it?

HP: (winks) Perfectly weighted! If Gareth's try against England had stood it might have been different. Then Scott Williams almost scored, but it was a great effort to flip him over by Sam Underhill. It's always a great Test – I'm sure the crowd will be outstanding. England have been pretty impressive, but we're building nicely.

Parkes played during the 2018 Six Nations 12-6 defeat to England at Twickenham

Wales could break the national record of consecutive wins with victory. Warren Gatland said you're 'forgetting how to lose' – do you feel that?

HP: There's a lot of belief. I've only been in the side for a year and a bit but everyone is pushing each other.

JD: We're better the more time we spend together, so to get those two wins puts us in a good spot.

The pair believe they can break Wales' all-time consecutive win record by beating England

Hadleigh you joined the Scarlets in 2014, the year Jon went to Clermont; so when did you first meet?

HP: Me and Jon were obviously a straight swap… body and everything!

JD: I remember seeing the photos the Scarlets put on Instagram when Hadleigh arrived. He had long hair…

HP: I didn't have the really long hair – the mullet – but it was long-ish. It looked like I'd just come off the beach! Not a great look.

JD: A traditional Kiwi rugby player!

HP: I think I had a leather jacket on too… the boys still remind me of that.

Parkes (left) believes Davies will end his career as one of Wales' greatest ever players

Jon, what were your first impressions of Hadleigh?

JD: I had good reports from the Scarlets boys, he has values that suit Welsh people and he slotted in. That's a key thing when you come into a new club – that you buy into everything.

HP: What Foxy is trying to say is that I enjoy a beer as much as him!

JD: I think so! I must've come back for a weekend and we went for a few beers. Parksey lives in Cardiff like me, so we travel down to training together. We had met each other a few times before I came back in 2016.

HP: I knew Foxy's brother James from playing with him, so whenever he came back from Clermont on a day off we would meet for… only for a coffee on a day off! Then on nights out you see each other.

Parkes and Davies also link up together at club level for Welsh region Scarlets

You've grown up in similar places on opposite sides of the world. Hunterville, NZ with a population of 429, Bancyfelin, Wales with 300 residents.

HP: Westwalian people are very similar to rural New Zealanders. They're humble and when people give them praise they'll say 'no, it's somebody else'. They're friendly, and really want you to enjoy your experience.

JD: I've been to New Zealand a few times on tour and you do see similarities in certain areas there to back home. Kiwis settle in Wales as they find it like home.

Davies spent two years playing for Clermont in the Top 14 before returning to Scarlets in 2016

Hadleigh, your home town has a festival called the 'Shepherd's Shemozzle' – what's that?

HP: (laughs) It's a bit different. Hunterville is known for its hunt-away dogs – sheep herders. There's a statue to them in the village. You don't really do much with sheep during the shemozzle, though. It's 300 competing shepherds and good prize money, about $5,000 (£2,500) for first place. The shepherds aren't on a huge wage and come from all over the North Island to do it. My brothers have competed, but I haven't.

Everyone ties their dogs up on a rope with a bit of feed. Huntaway dogs all look pretty similar, black and tan, so people spray-paint them. A shotgun will go off, shepherds sprint out. They don't know where their dogs are so have to find them.

The shepherds all wear a woolen potato sack – not the most comfortable thing – and then it's a two kilometre run up a hill, through a dam, swim through a pond full of eels, down to the main street, all with your dog. You skull (drink) a beer through a straw, eat a possum pie, then put bull's testicles in your mouth! There are 18 or 19 different parts, and a speed sheep-shear at night. It's a good night out I can tell you!

Having been born in New Zealand but moved to Scarlets, Parkes made his Wales debut in 2017

Anything like that down your way Jon?

JD: (bemused) Not to my knowledge! There's three-legged race round the pubs, but nothing quite like that. Bull's testicles in the mouth was it?!

HP: Yeah. Bull's testicles in your mouth, dog in a wheelbarrow, get them over the finish-line.

JD: Unique.

So, Haleigh what makes Jon so good on the field?

HP: He's had a couple of superb Lions tours, and will go down as one of Wales' best players. He's been a member of this squad for 10 years and probably key for eight.

Jon, what makes Hadleigh so good to play outside?

JD: He doesn't make mistakes, doesn't panic, gives confidence to players around him and has been a big part of why Scarlets and Wales have done so well recently. Parkesy has been involved in a lot of the games in this run, it's a testament to the work he's done. He's great to play with. 

Davies captained his country to mark his 70th cap, earned in a 10-year international career