Young Gun: Rhodri Williams – Scarlets scrum-half

The Scarlets have been awash with Williams but while he stands at just 5ft 9in, scrum-half Rhodri is determined to be seen in the crowd.
With Liam and Jordan in the back three, Scott in the centres and Owen at fly-half until his move to Leicester, the Scarlets have not exactly been a commentator’s dream – indeed they scored three tries at Harlequins in October and all were by a Williams.
The first was by scrum-half Rhodri, 20, self-styled in the Will Genia mould. He made his Heineken debut at 18 against Castres and this season has started to justify the hype.
Friday’s clash with Racing Metro and Wales incumbent scrum-half Mike Phillips was his 14th appearance of the season for the Scarlets after Warren Gatland – and no doubt former No.9 Rob Howley – handed Williams his first two senior international caps this autumn.
He has firmly put himself in the thick of the pack snapping at Phillips’ heels but with a rotation policy favoured at the Scarlets, he knows he must take every chance he gets.
“I feel this has been my breakthrough season. I’ve been around the first team for a couple of years but this is the one when I’ve really got my chance,” he said.
“And I’ve been pleased with my development. I’ve been working on my game management and communication and knowing when and where to make runs and when to pass.
“I had a run at the start of the season and things went well, especially in Europe, then I had a bit of a spell out and know I’m back in the mix again.
“There’s Aled Davies and Gareth Davies here as well so I know there’s a lot of competition and I have to be at the top of my game to start matches.
“It was an incredible opportunity to be involved with Wales in the autumn. I was pretty shocked to get the call-up just to the training squad but then to get my first caps, it gives you a lot of confidence that the coaches are happy with you.
“I spoke to Warren a lot and, obviously, Rob. He was a big influence on me in those training sessions and as a former scrum-half of such quality he’s someone you want to listen to.”
Williams made his Scarlets debut in 2011, but last season a sustained spell at Principality Premiership Llandovery did him the world of good and his form was evident for Wales U20s last year.
He was a key performer in the side that went into their last Six Nations match against England with four wins from four and then reached the Junior World Championship final.
On both occasions Williams succumbed to the Red Rose but it is not inconceivable he will get the chance of revenge at Twickenham in March.
“Of course I’d love to be involved in the Six Nations, that’s what you want when you’ve had a taste of the international game, I’ve just got to perform for the Scarlets though,” he said.
“You could say I was sick of the sight of England last year. We lost two games all year and they were both to England but it was a season we all look back on fondly.
“We were a very close bunch and I felt I had a good partnership with fly-half [and IRB Junior Player of the Year] Sam Davies and there are a few of us who have made the step towards the seniors.
“Danny Wilson [former Wales U20s coach] is at the Scarlets so that was a help and I think that U20s campaign played a huge role in my development.”