Johnny Williams (born 18 October 1996) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for the Scarlets in the Pro14 and the Wales national team.[1]
| Birth name | John Bleddyn Rhys Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 18 October 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Weston-super-Mare, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (16 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | The Forest School, Winnersh, St Paul's College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career
editWilliams made his debut for London Irish at the age of 18,[2] and signed for Newcastle Falcons in May 2018 following Irish's relegation.[3]
In 2019 Williams revealed he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer, and would take time away from the game to undergo treatment.[4][5] He returned to professional rugby in January 2020.[6]
On 14 July 2020, Williams signed for Pro14 side Scarlets ahead of the 2020–21 season.[7]
International
editWilliams played for England under 20s in the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship, including starting the final where England beat Ireland.[8]
In March 2019, Williams was named as a target of interest for incoming Wales coach Wayne Pivac,[9] after it was confirmed that Williams is qualified to play internationally for the country through his father, who is from Rhyl.[7] He also identifies as Welsh, like his father.[10]
In June 2019 Williams played for England in a non capped international 51–43 win against the Barbarians, scoring a try.[11]
On 6 October 2020 Williams was named in the senior Wales squad for the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup.[12]
Williams made his debut for Wales on the 18 November 2020 in the starting line-up for the 18–0 win against Georgia.[13] On 28 November 2020 in his second appearance for Wales he scored a try in the 24–13 defeat against England.[14]
International tries
edit| Try | Opponent | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  England |
Llanelli, Wales | Parc y Scarlets | Autumn Nations Cup | 28 November 2020 | Loss |
| 2 |  New Zealand |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2021 Autumn internationals | 30 October 2021 | Loss |
References
edit- ^ "Johnny Williams". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ "Williams is lean, keen and ready to fight for England dream". The Rugby Paper. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ "Johnny Williams: Newcastle to sign centre from relegated London Irish". BBC Sport. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ "England centre diagnosed with testicular cancer". Ruck. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ^ "Newcastle Falcons' Johnny Williams: 'I never thought I would get cancer'". BBC Sport. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ^ "Johnny Williams: Newcastle Falcons centre back after cancer treatment". BBC Sport. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Scarlets announce signing of Johnny Williams, the man who played for England but still qualifies for Wales". Wales Online. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ "Dominant England blow Ireland away in U20 World Cup final". The Irish Independent. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
- ^ "The five England hopefuls Wales are reportedly attempting to poach before next year's Rugby World Cup". Wales Online. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ Webb, Nick (19 November 2020). "Centre Williams on Wales switch and cancer fight". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Cantillon, Michael (2 June 2019). "England 51-43 Barbarians: Inexperienced XV register shock win at Twickenham". skysports.com. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Wales name uncapped Bristol duo Lloyd and Sheedy in autumn squad". BBC Sport. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ Griffiths, Gareth (21 November 2020). "Wales 18-0 Georgia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Griffiths, Gareth (28 November 2020). "Wales 13-24 England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
External links
edit- Johnny Williams at ESPNscrum