Williams set for his last hurrah as Scarlets take on Stormers
Liam Williams faces his final curtain as a Scarlets player on Saturday (5.10pm) when the west Walians take on the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship.
It will be the Wales international’s last game for the Llanelli-based region before he heads for the Arms Park to start a new chapter with Cardiff in the summer.
It can be written without fear of contradiction that the 31-year-old will want to go out on a high, with Williams saying after his move east was announced how grateful he was for the opportunities the Scarlets had given him over the years, adding: “I wouldn’t be the player I am without the incredible support from the management, players, backroom staff and supporters.
“I will take with me many fond memories that will stay with me forever.”
He has overcome a hamstring injury to play, lining up on the right wing as Tom Rogers returns from an ankle knock to figure at full-back.
It’s potentially a crucial game for the west Walians: if they can better what the Ospreys achieve against the Bulls on Friday evening they will win the Welsh Shield and qualify for the next season’s Heineken Champions Cup.
But injuries have struck them at a bad time, with star second row Sam Lousi – one of the players of the season in Wales – ruled out after undergoing surgery on a damaged thumb.
Hooker Ryan Elias is also off limits with an Achilles issue.
In all, the Scarlets are missing 14 players, with their strength in depth up front particularly tested as Wyn Jones, Elias, Ken Owens, Samson Lee, Lousi and Blade Thomson are unavailable.
Their backline still looks strong, despite having to do without Leigh Halfpenny and Scott Williams.
Jon Davies will have a point to prove after his omission from Wales’ tour squad for South Africa, and so will Ryan Conbeer and perhaps flyhalf Sam Costelow, who has taken great leaps forward as a player this term.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “I have said before, one of our goals is to be top of the Welsh Shield and we have that to play for this weekend.
“It is slightly out of our hands with Ospreys playing on Friday, but we have prepped for having to win this game.
“We realise we have a difficult proposition in the Stormers coming to town, it is going to be a tough game, but one we are relishing.”
Stormers coach John Dobson makes two changes from the side that beat Leinster 20-13 in Cape Town, with lock Salmaan Moerat and scrum-half Stefan Ungerar earning recalls.
TEAMS
Scarlets: Tom Rogers; Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies (capt) Johnny Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, G.areth Davies; Steffan Thomas, Shaun Evans, Javan Sebastian, Tom Price, Jac Price, Aaron Shingler, J. Macleod, Sione Kalamafoni. Replacements: Dafydd Hughes, Phil Price, WillGriff John, Morgan Jones, Tomas Lezana, Kieran Hardy, Rhys Patchell, Joe Roberts. Stormers: Warrick Gelant; Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel, Damian Willemse, Leolin Zas; Manie Libbok, Stefan Ungerer; Steven Kitshoff (capt) JJ Kotze, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie, Deon Fourie, Hacjivah Dayimani, Evan Roos. Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Brok Harris, Neethling Fouche, Ernst van Rhyn, Nama Xaba, Marcel Theunissen, Godlen Masimla, Cornel Smit.