In 2002 Shane Williams decided to consider his future as a professional rugby player. Successive hamstring injuries coupled with an inability to force himself into Steve Hansen’s setup, left Williams feeling that he’d “had a gutsful of rugby.” After much deliberation he decided that the 2003 Rugby World Cup would be his last roll of the dice.
Rarely has a decision been so vindicated, and this Saturday against the Wallabies will see the culmination of one of rugby’s greatest careers. After 86 tests and 57 tries Shane Williams has become one of the finest wingers to ever play the sport and a bona fide Welsh sporting legend. He is gifted with mesmeric feet, precise finishing and an enthusiasm for work. However it is his willingness to dare that truly sets him apart from his contemporaries, a rare thing in a sport where teams and coaches are increasingly paralysed by the business of professionalism and results. All very impressive for a man who was barely Wales’ third choice scrum half eight years ago.
Impressive scarcely does Williams’ career justice, the frequency of his tries is only matched by their importance. Take for example his try against Samoa at this year’s World Cup. With Wales leading 12-10, and under severe Samoan pressure, their young side appeared to be on the precipice of disaster. It was the veteran Williams, who despite being dwarfed by every Samoan, rugby player or not, scored to guide Wales into the quarter finals. Perhaps even closer to Welsh hearts is the try that opened the scoring in their remarkable defeat of then world champions England in 2005. The try was a quite fantastic finish in the corner, kick-starting the famous Welsh Grand Slam and a revival of Welsh rugby in general after the barren 1990’s.
Williams achievements read as; Wales record try scorer, first Welsh man to win IRB Player of the Year (in 2008), two time Grand Slam winner, joint record holder for most tries in a single Six Nations, third top try scorer in the history of rugby, two time British and Irish Lion and a World Cup semi-finalist. It’s certainly a glittering career, encouraging glowing praise from pundits and players for the Swansea born winger. Bryan Habana paid great compliment, stating that he’ll be able to “put his hand up there with some of the best”, and it was against Habana where in my eyes Williams confirmed his position as rugby great.
Touring the then World Champions South Africa in 2008, Williams scored two magnificent tries in two tests. The fact it was a Welsh side that generally failed to live up to the promise of their all conquering Six Nations form that year, made Williams’ trys and all round performances all the more striking. Where others were unable to stand up to the Springboks, Williams comprehensively outplayed his opposite number, his try in the first test made that clear. Receiving the ball out wide Williams streaks past South African legend Percy Montgomery and is left with only Bryan Habana to beat, considered at the time to be the world’s best winger. Instead of taking the easy option of an attempted kick through or a foot race for the corner, Williams shimmies inside the South African and leaves him arse over tit.
Trademark brilliance and daring from him, the best testament to the try is the figure of the forlorn Springbok winger sat in a rather confused heap. Habana’s comments on the Welsh man clearly come from experience.
However as much as Williams deserves to be the centre of attention on Saturday, there are more pressing issues than a farewell party for the Welsh squad. Some sections of the press declared Wales’ World Cup as a triumph, undone by an Irish scrooge of a referee and their kicker’s inability to hit a cow’s backside with a banjo. However the truth is the Welsh lost as many as they won at the World Cup, and had their pocket sized magician and dodgy scheduling to thank for negotiating the Samoan test in the group.
Their inability to win the three biggest matches they played is an unnerving statistic for a Welsh fan. Their list of victory’s hardly makes awe inspiring reading as well, Samoa, Fiji and Ireland are hardly the cream of the international crop, however the manner of Welsh playing style polished over the cracks. Against South Africa, despite dominating the game they conspired to snatch defeat from the joys of victory. They managed to repeat the trick against the French in the semis, Warburton on or off the pitch; it is unquestionable that the Welsh should have beat France.
The Australia match was a different beast, a game either side could have won and it was the brilliance of Berrick Barnes that decided the tie. In New Zealand Wales consistently showed they had the ability, but lacked the temperament, to win the big games.
Wales have the opportunity to make the jump to the top tier of International rugby; they have a ferocious front row and a potentially magnificent midfield combination of Rhys Priestland, Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies. Wales are also in the fortunate situation that as they lose one world class winger, he’s seemingly replaced by another. The gargantuan George North is emerging as one of the most promising young players in rugby union, and despite being the complete physical opposite of Williams looks set to be the man to replace him.
However test rugby tends to be decided by the back row these days as Wales World cup experience shows. Each of the games they lost saw the young emerging back row beaten or matched at the breakdown. At Millennium Stadium the trio of captain Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau have a real chance to impress, and build on their promise. While the Wallabies have picked a strong side, Wales, if they manage to correct their lacklustre kicking form, have an excellent opportunity to end Williams’ career on a high and set up a platform for their Six Nations challenge.
Wales must beat Australia, they are too good a team now too lose at home to a side of Australia’s calibre, and Williams is too good a player to deserve a defeat as a final epitaph on his career. Sport is rarely kind, but Williams’ time in the Welsh jersey has earned a fitting finale and he must only hope the new generation can deliver it.
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