Girlfriend hits out after star is victim of ‘cowardly’ abuse

LIAM Williams’s fiancée Sophie Harries has publicly called out “disgraceful and cowardly” social media trolls after her Wales and Scarlets fullback partner was targeted online.

The Welsh Rugby Union moved to condemn online abuse targeted at Wales’s players after their Six Nations Grand Slam dreams came to a cruel end at the hands of France on Saturday night.

Wayne Pivac’s men slipped to a 32-30 defeat in Paris as France scored an added-time try to ruin chances of a clean sweep, with Welsh players Taulupe Faletau and Liam Williams both having been sin-binned within a minute of each other as the game approached its final minutes.

On Sunday evening the WRU published a series of abusive messages which had been aimed at 29-year-old Scarlets player Williams, some of which accused him of costing his team the Grand Slam.

In a post on its official Twitter account, which was accompanied by the hashtag #BeKind, the WRU said: “The players are proud to represent their country and their jersey.

“The abuse players are receiving has to stop.”

Sharing the WRU’s post, Williams’s partner Sophie wrote: “Name and shame I say. Disgraceful and cowardly”.

The WRU later added in a separate message: “Regarding our earlier post . . . in order to help drive the call for change, the players want to highlight the amount of abuse and bile that circulates on social media platforms.

“We value our fans’ support in the matter.”

French counterparts France Rugby responded with a tweet which read: “All our support dear friends. . . This is not the true spirit of sport and this has to stop. Congratulations again on the great performance of your team.”

Former Wales skipper Sam Warburton later threw his weight behind the WRU’s plea, describing Williams as a “modern day great”.

Warburton tweeted: “Players are fans as much as anyone else. They sacrifice time with family, risk of significant injury, enormous pressure and all to make our country and fans proud and happy.

“PS Liam Williams is a modern day great and iconic Wales player – end of debate.”