It’ll be a perfect 10 for Wales – Williams

WALES legend Shane Williams is expecting Warren Gatland to name at least 10 Welsh Lions, but admits the former Wales boss will have a tough decision to make over Jonathan Davies.

Williams said that while the Scarlets centre has credit in the bank and was “sensational” for the Lions in 2017 against New Zealand, he “is also not playing his best rugby at the moment”.

In his column for The Rugby Paper, he said: “I feel mean saying this because he is a truly worldclass operator at top level, but I don’t think he has been the same player since his knee injury at the World Cup. 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.”

As for his Welsh certainties, Williams is expecting to see Ken Owens, Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Dan Biggar, Liam Williams, Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit in the squad, with players including Wyn Jones, Tomas Francis and Leigh Halfpenny also very much in the frame for selection.

Meanwhile Gregor Townsend is convinced Gatland’s wide experience will be a vital weapon as the Lions bid to beat world champions South Africa.

The Lions attack coach will be on sabbatical from his Scotland head coach role, working with Gatland after first turning down a Lions coaching role in 2017 after he had just got settled with Scotland. Now, Townsend believes Gatland’s experience will be key, with the former Wales boss heading on his third tour as head coach and fourth overall.

Townsend said: “Warren has so much experience, back in New Zealand, then Ireland, Wales and three Lions tours so that knowhow is massive for us.

“He’s been open and I have, too, to what we believe will work, in not just the Test series but over those early weeks. I really enjoyed our selection discussion and discussion around what a coaching session and week will look like.

“It’s obviously important as a coaching group we all connect and work well together, and contribute in different areas. That’s the impression I’ve got already, and the environment I wanted to create with Scotland, where even though you may be a defence coach you’re contributing in attack and vice-versa.”