Williams wins vote at full-back as fans pick all-time regional XV
WELSH rugby supporters have picked their All-Star Ultimate XV of the regional era.
Liam Williams got the nod at full-back ahead of three worldclass players in Percy Montgomery (Dragons), Ospreys’ Lee Byrne and Cardiff Blues’ classy New Zealand international Ben Blair.
Former Scarlets play-maker Stephen Jones saw off the challenge of the man he is now coaching with Wales, Dan Biggar (Ospreys), for the outside-half jersey.
The regions each put forward a player for each position based on their own dream teams, with Mike Phillips seeing off his great rival and fellow Lions Test scrum-half Dwayne Peel (Scarlets) for the No.9 shirt.
Fellow Wales greats Shane Williams, Gethin Jenkins, Jonathan Davies, Alun Wyn Jones and Adam Jones were, as expected, all picked.
Current Wales star Josh Navidi came out top of a stellar cast of Jerry Collins, Simon Easterby and Dan Lydiate at blindside flanker while Justin Tipuric got the nod ahead of Martyn Williams at openside.
Former Blues finisher Alex Cuthbert had the better of Lions aces Tommy Bowe and Dafydd James at right wing and Jamie Roberts beat Gavin Henson and Regan King to the inside-centre berth.
Ken Owens saw off the challenge of fellow Lions Matthew Rees and Richard Hibbard at hooker.
Tadhg Beirne was the only nonWelsh player to make the side despite some of the best players in the world having had stints with the regions.
He overcame the challenge of Ian Evans, Luke Charteris, Ian Gough, Paul Tito and Jake Ball to partner Alun Wyn Jones in the boilerhouse.
He was hardly known when he joined the Scarlets but produced top-quality performances on a weekly basis to be picked for his Ireland debut.
Ospreys and Scarlets each supplied five players and Blues four with Taulupe Faletau being the only Dragons player to make it after seeing off a star-studded cast of Scott Quinnell, Xavier Rush and Ryan Jones for the No.8 jersey.
ALL-STAR ULTIMATE XV:
Liam Williams (Scarlets); Alex Cuthbert (Blues); Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Josh Navidi (Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Dragons).