Williams set for early return to Scarlets as Saracens cuts loom
Liam Williams may have already played his final game for Saracens, with the Lions star likely to join Scarlets before the end of the season.
Williams has signed for the Welsh region for the 2019-20 campaign but the double winners are looking to expedite his departure in the wake of the salary cap scandal that is forcing them to trim their wage bill.
Saracens were docked 35 points and fined £5.36million after being found to have breached the £7million limit in each of the last three seasons.
Interim chief executive Edward Griffiths has revealed that players may need to be offloaded or wages cuts to comply with the cap for the current season.
Eddie Jones’ England stars appear to be safe after director of rugby Mark McCall revealed that older players or those whose contracts are ending in June will be targeted.
Williams’ deal to join Scarlets in the summer was announced on Boxing Day but it is understood the Wales full-back, who is currently out with an ankle injury, is now destined to leave ahead of schedule.
When asked if Williams could join Scarlets before the end of the season, McCall said: “I’d say there is a possibility.
“It was Liam’s decision first up that he was going to go back to the Scarlets, back to Wales, and that was for family reasons.
“We understood that completely and we don’t regret, and he doesn’t regret, him coming to Saracens. We don’t regret bringing him to Saracens, he has been brilliant.
“He was always going to go back to Wales regardless of the salary cap decision.”
If, as expected, Williams returns to Scarlets ahead of schedule, his final game for Saracens will have been the 2019 Premiership final when he was a try-scorer in a dramatic comeback win over Exeter at Twickenham.
The 28-year-old suffered an ankle injury in training that ruled him out of the World Cup semi-final defeat to South Africa and he has not played since.
“Liam might be fit for the Six Nations, but I don’t think he will be fit for us before the Six Nations,” McCall said.
“It is not ideal. He hasn’t played a game for us this season. That’s not his fault.”
McCall will play a crucial role in any additional reductions made to the squad size and his priority is to ensure they are handled sensitively.
“If any changes are required then I’ll be fully involved in those decisions,” McCall said.
“This group have been through a hell of a lot together anyway and they need to see that any player is treated as well as you can treat them in these situations and no one feels like they are squeezed out or anything like that.
“We’ve got to make sure we do anything that needs to be done really well, and I am sure we will. We are hoping it won’t be too cold.
“If anything has to happen it will be to players who will be coming towards the end of their careers or their contract ends in four months’ time.
“Ideally that’s what would happen and we need to make sure those players leave the club amicably and on good terms, not on bad terms.
“I am really desperate for that to be the case because they have given the club a lot in the time they have been here.
“It is tricky, of course it is tricky, and it is not ideal but if something needs to be done, it needs to be done and we will do it as well as we can.”
PA
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments