Wales heroes face anxious Lions wait
SHANE Williams believes Jonathan Davies has enough credit in the bank with Warren Gatland to earn selection for this summer’s Lions tour to South Africa.
Gatland is due to name his touring party tomorrow, with Scarlets centre Davies among the Welsh stars facing an anxious wait.
The two-time tourist – he starred against Australia in 2013 and New Zealand four years ago – has struggled for fitness for much of the last two seasons. But he did play a crucial role in Wales’s unexpected Six Nations title triumph.
The long-term knee injury suffered by George North has increased the chances of Davies being named in the squad, though a host of other centres have also made strong claims for a tour place.
But Wales legend Williams says Davies should be named in the touring party to face the Springboks.
“I feel mean saying this because is a truly world-class operator at the top level, but I don’t think he has been the same player since his knee injury at the World Cup,” he wrote in his column for The Rugby Paper.
“He has also moved from outside to inside centre with Wales.
“I would take him, purely because of his experience of past tours.
“He knows what it takes to be a Lion and can be a guiding light to some of the younger players.
“Someone like Jon will want to be a Test starter and he won’t like me saying this, but even if he isn’t, he can be a vital figure for the midweek side.
“I hope he proves me wrong, makes the tour, and produces some brilliant rugby.”
Hendy’s Josh Adams is another sweating on Gatland’s announcement. Seen as a certain tourist two years ago when he dazzled at the World Cup, Adams endured a quiet autumn with Wales and was suspended for the opening two matches of this season’s Six Nations for breaching coronavirus protocols.
But he finished the campaign strongly and, like Davies, is rated highly by Gatland.
Scarlets stars Liam Williams, Ken Owens and Wyn Jones are all likely to be named by the New Zealander as he shapes a team capable of topping the world champions in their own back yard.
But the scrum-half duo of Gareth Davies and Kieran Hardy both face tense waits, though their chances of selection have been improved by the decision of England’s Ben Youngs not to tour for family reasons.
Leigh Halfpenny is also likely to come under consideration.
He may have lost his place in the Wales team to Liam Williams, but he has a proven Lions Test pedigree which Gatland values.