WRU offer to Williams withdrawn

THE Welsh Rugby Union has withdrawn the offer of a national dual contract to centre Scott Williams.

WalesOnline understands the WRU, with the full backing of Warren Gatland, ended negotiations after not being party to an extraordinary battle for the Wales centre’s signature between the Ospreys and Scarlets.

Williams was originally given the chance to extend his current dual contract with the union beyond its present expiry of next summer.

But it’s now understood the Ospreys offered Williams, who captained Wales against Ireland in August, a deal exclusively with them worth in the region of £80,000 more than the dual contract.

The Scarlets, with the help of chairman Nigel Short, then stepped in to match the Ospreys offer, anxious to be able to pair Williams in ther midfield with the returning Jonathan Davies next season. But we have learned Gatland and the WRU were annoyed at what they saw as a lack of consultation over the regional deals offered to Williams and recoiled at the idea of trying to match an increased salary with an improved dual contract, believing that it would set a dangerous precedent.

The situation means that, for now at least, Williams’ future remains up in the air. It appears he must choose between staying at the Scarlets or moving to the Ospreys or further afield. There is no shortage of interest in him from English and French clubs.

Of greater concern for the Welsh game is the apparent breakdown of the process set out in last year’s Rugby Services Agreement, which was aimed at making the retention of Wales stars a three-way arrangement between the WRU, the Regions and the player.