Centre Williams on transfer radar
GLOUCESTER are interested in signing seven-cap Welsh cente Johnny Williams from the Scarlets according to the latest reports, while the club’s star international wingers continue to attract attention.
While Williams is a Welsh international having made his senior debut in 2020, he was born in Weston-super-mare and game through the ranks on this side of the bridge at London Irish, playing for England U20s and then moving to Newcastle Falcons where he produced form worthy of a call-up to the England senior team in an uncapped match against the Barbarians in 2019. He qualifies for Wales through his father Gareth who is from Rhyl.
At 27, Williams should be reaching the peak of his playing career, and according to Walesonline is also attracting the attention of several other Premiership sides.
With Mark Atkinson turning 34 before the end of this season and Chris Harris now 33, it comes as little surprise that Gloucester director of rugby Geoge Skivington is looking to address his midfield options having added fellow Welsh international Max Llewellyn in the summer. Gloucester have also already announced the addition of Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams ahead of next season.
Should Williams leave the Scarlets it would put a pause on his international career given he currently falls short of the 25 caps required to continue playing for Wales while based outside of the country, but having been left out of Warren Gatland’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup his place on the international stage is currently uncertain anyway.
The Welsh regions are currently facing raids for their best players from multiple English sides with their playing budgets dropping from £5.2m to £4.5m, while the salary cap in the Gallagher
Premiership is going back up from £5m to £6.4m.
Despite that, the Cherry and Whites are still struggling to match the offers reportedly being tabled to star winger Louis Reeszammit.
This week The Rugby Paper reported that Japanese League One side the Mie Honda Heat have entered the race to sign Reeszammit, with a lucrative contract offer made to try and tempt the lightning 22-year-old to Asia rather than the French Top 14 where he is also highly coveted.
Rees-zammit, whose current contract with Gloucester expires at the end of the season, is understood to still be unsure over his next move. However, he is incredibly close with his locallybased family, making a move abroad a significant personal upheaval.
Elsewhere, Saracens are in the market for a big-name winger to replace Scotland and British and Irish Lions star Sean Maitland and the defending Premiership champions are reported to be interested in both Gloucester’s Jonny May and Bath’s Joe Cokanasiga.
Cherry and Whites flyer May, 33, retired from international rugby after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, walking away as England’s second-highest try-scorer in the men’s game and is in his second spell at Kingsholm.