It’s a family affair! Shane and co to line up at Principality Stadium
THE QUINNELL clan and their Moriarty counterparts stand proud among Welsh rugby’s most renowned rugby families.
But this weekend the Williams family of the Amman Valley will take centre stage.
Shane, 40, and his brother, Dean, 37, will line up on the wings for Amman United in the Welsh Rugby Union National Bowl final against Caerphilly at the Principality Stadium.
But it’s not just those two – alongside them will be brother-in-law Gavin Lewis, who will play at full back.
And the Williams boys are not the only brothers in the Amman side, with skipper and No 8 Sean Mangan joined by sibling Liam, who plays prop.
If the Amman call “family” as a backline move at any stage, it will not take a Sherlock Holmes in the Caerphilly ranks to work out that someone in the west Wales club’s back three is going to be involved.
Never before have the brothers started a game together, which means this weekend is going to be some occasion. So what do they make of it all? Dean, an engineer for mineral water producer Princes Gate, said: “It’s the first time we’ve played together this season, though we have done so on a couple of occasions in the past... it’s going to be a hell of a day.
“People ask me what it’s been like to have Shane as a brother; I honestly wouldn’t change it for the world.
“It has meant me being targeted down the years by opposition players just because I’m his brother, especially at the time he was really making his name with Wales, but after a while that just became water off a duck’s back.
“I’ve always been proud of Shane. I was the same as him in that I started at scrum-half and moved to the wing, but I never had his pace and never got close to playing professionally.
“What’s it like to have him in the Amman team? Brilliant, to be honest, though he is the first to admit reaching this final is not about him.
“Amman United have gone 18 games unbeaten in the league and conceded very few tries this season. We pride ourselves on our defence and we are also proud of our overall performances.
“Saying that, Shane has been great to bring off the bench in some games to give us a bit of a boost – and while he may look small on the telly he’s a real presence still at this level.
“He still has the pace, he still has the strength. And doing events like triathlon and Ironman have helped him keep in top condition. He’s a bit of a pocket rocket, actually, and in full flow he’s capable of knocking over much bigger men.
“Shane has been targeted for obvious reasons by opponents since he began appearing for us. Most teams are fine but some have indulged in real cheap shots, which has been disappointing. Not that he lets it get to him. He just gets on with it.
“His fractured jaw against Cardigan in the semi-final was off the ball, but it’s typical that he’s giving it a go on Sunday.
“What’s also great is that he’s hired the upstairs function room of the Owain Glyndwr pub in Cardiff for us to go and have a few beers after the game, and hopefully we will have something to celebrate.
“We’ll have seven or eight busloads of supporters coming from the Amman and I think we have sold out our allocation of 600 tickets.
“Caerphilly are tough opposition, but win or lose, this will be a day to remember.”
Shane said: “Being a bit older than Dean, I didn’t get to start a match with him in school, and by the time he’d come through with the Amman I’d moved on to Neath.
“With Gavin at full-back it’s going to be a real family affair. When I retired from the professional game I always said I’d like to play alongside Dean and the other boys, and so to have the chance to do so in a match like this is special.
“It’s a massive day for the Amman. The whole of the village is buzzing and pretty much everyone is going to Cardiff for the game.
“I am excited and I have played at the stadium quite a few times. I just want to do what I can for the team and the place where I have lived for pretty much all my life. A lot of people there have supported me throughout my career and showed me great loyalty through thick and thin.
“If I can repay them by helping the side this weekend, it would be brilliant. It’s a World Cup final for the boys, with the chance to play in a wonderful stadium alone making it special.
“I never thought I’d have the opportunity to play there again, but the key is that the team performs. We know Caerphilly are going to want to win, so we will need to be at our best.”