XXXXXXX 1P
OST-HOLIDAY and
pre-World Cup camp,
Liam Williams was in
the process of tidying
his house when he
found his Gallagher Premiership
medal on his bedside table.
He usually stores all his rugby
memorabilia in a box that has
since been dropped off with his
mum, but he had lost track of
that particular medal – not a
huge surprise when you consider
the number of honours he
clocked up last season.
In the space of 11 weeks, he
won a Six Nations Grand Slam
with Wales as well as a European
Champions Cup and Premiership
double with Saracens. The icing
on the proverbial cake was, no
doubt, a top-five finish in Rugby
World’s list of the 100 best players
in the world right now! It’s little
wonder he reflects: “It’s probably
the best year I’ve ever had.”
The trophies are one thing –
he’s lifted five in three seasons
having won the Guinness Pro12
title in his last Scarlets campaign,
as well as the English league in
his first with Saracens before this
year’s triumvirate – but the form
he has maintained has been
outstanding. And all while moving
between wing and full-back.
He was a star performer in the
Wales No 15 shirt during the Six
Nations, his high-ball excellence
and willingness to counter-attack
against England earning him a
Man of the Match award, but
proved to be equally adept on the
wing in the Grand Slam decider
when having to move out wide
following George North’s injury.
Then for Saracens he has
shown consistency on the wing in
attack and defence – remember
that perfectly-timed tackle and
penalty-winning jackal on Garry
Ringrose in the European final?
Or the brilliantly-executed leap
above Joe Simmonds to take
Owen Farrell’s cross-field kick and
dart over the line for a try in the
Premiership final? “King of the
airwaves,” said the commentator.
For his part, Williams is happy
being Mr Versatile. “I know there’s
not much chance of playing 15 at
Saracens unless Owen is having
a rest and Alex Goode goes to
ten. He’s one of the best No 15s
in the world. How he’s not in the
England squad I’ll never know.
“I’ll play anywhere in the back
three. With Wales, Leigh
(Halfpenny) had to take a bit of
time out to get fit, I stepped in
and I think I did an alright job.”
A modest assessment, but he’s
certainly achieved his objectives
in leaving Wales for Saracens, the
winning of trophies demonstrating
that. He has settled well at the
club and lives in East Finchley
with his girlfriend Sophie Harries.
Bar the added expense of being
in the English capital he’s
“enjoying the London lifestyle”.He’s taking a sojourn from the
big city over the next couple of
months as Wales’ World Cup
preparations ratchet up a notch –
or ten – with training at their Vale
of Glamorgan base as well as
camps in Switzerland and Turkey.
“Nobody is ever looking forward
to training,” he laughs, “but it is
good to be back in camp and
spending time with the boys.
“Soph and I went to Portugal
for eight days but I did a couple
of sessions when I came back to
get my fitness up, so I could hit
the ground running. I knew I’d
have some catching up to do
because most of the lads had
been in for a few weeks before
me. There’s a lot of competition
in the back three at the minute,
so it’s going to be exciting.”
Williams namechecks Josh
Adams for his Six Nations form
and there are eight back-three
players in all in Warren Gatland’s
training squad. Halfpenny, North,
Hallam Amos, Steff Evans, Jonah
Holmes and the uncapped Owen
Lane complete the line-up of
those hoping to secure a place
in Gatland’s final 31.
On the back of such high-quality
performances, Williams will be on
the plane to Japan. He has been
to the country before, as part of
a Wales squad depleted by Lions
call-ups that toured there in 2013.
“I loved Japan. Everything about
it. It’s beautiful, the people are
amazing, the little streets you go
down. And I love Japanese food.”
On the field, Wales won the first
Test in Osaka 22-18 but lost the
second 23-8 in Tokyo’s 32°C heat.
Williams played full-back in both
games and one moment stands
out. During the second Test, with
the match slipping away, tempers
as well as temperatures rose.
“Bradley Davies told me he was
going to knock me out on the
field. It was just in the heat of the
moment and I burst out laughing.”
Knockouts are on the agenda
this time, too, but of the match
rather than punch variety. “I think
we’ve got a great chance,” he says
of the World Cup. “But it only takes
one terrible game and you’re out.”
A touch of pragmatism from
Williams, but he’s in the habit
of winning and will be hoping
to add the most prized medal
of all to his box of goodies a
few months from now. nFOODS
CARBONARA
“I like having that
when I’m in Italy –
it’s always the
best for pasta”SUSHI
“One of my
favourites. I only got
into it when I met
Soph (Harries, his
girlfriend)”FULL ENGLISH
BREAKFAST
“With hash browns!
I’d eat that every
day if I could”MY TOP 3
The perfect catch
Taking a high ball
against England71