Williams column: Like Warren, I dare to dream despite injuries

FOR the neutral rugby fan it’s a great shame this morning’s World Cup semi-final between Wales and South Africa has been robbed of two big entertainers in Liam Williams and Cheslin Kolbe.

Injury is a cruel twist of fate for any player at any point, but for it to strike at the last-four stage is particularly nasty. I really feel for Liam because he was also ruled out of the 2015 tournament by injury and he’s been one of Wales’ best players over the last two years. I wish him a quick recovery.

For every Wales supporter gutted by Liam’s absence, it will be the same for the South Africans who will miss Kolbe terribly. I absolutely love him – mainly because he reminds me of… me!

You don’t see many fast, small wingers these days. They’re an underrated option! Kolbe, like me, is about eight stone soaking wet yet he’s one of the most exciting back-line operators on the planet.

When he was ruled out with an ankle injury I thought to myself that it was a huge boost for Wales and a big blow to the Springboks in terms of their attacking threat being hindered.

That was then balanced out by Liam also falling lame – ironically with the same problem suffered in training. Those sorts of incidents are freak injuries. If they happen to you, you have to curse your luck. Even without Liam I’ve full belief Wales can beat South Africa to make a first World Cup final.

If they do it will be a remarkable achievement. The whole country will be pumped this morning.

I’ve been inside both the Wales and South Africa camps this week and it’s been fascinating.

When Liam and Josh Navidi were ruled out of the semi-final due to injury and there were big doubts over Hadleigh Parkes and Jonathan Davies, the mood was dark among those of a Welsh persuasion.

People were doubting if Wales had a sniff of a chance. Warren Gatland changed all that with a masterful Press conference. It was Gats at his sublime best. It was absolute magic.

‘Dare to dream’ was his motto in a nutshell and he left his players under no illusion that if they want something bad enough – in this case a place in a World Cup final – it can happen.

Listening to Warren speak took me back to my playing days when he was my coach and there is no greater motivator. Warren doesn’t shout or scream (not often anyway!) but his messages are clear and concise and he is a brilliant motivator!

His Press conference made me want to go out and play!

Even without Liam and Josh and with concerns over Jon and Hadleigh, Wales will believe they can win. That belief will come from their 14-match unbeaten run in the last year, a Six Nations Grand Slam, and a stint as world No.1. If you can’t believe after that, you will never be able to.

The game with South Africa will be a car crash. I’m absolutely certain of that. My memories of playing against the Springboks aren’t great. I lost to them on every occasion with Wales and my only victory came with the British & Irish Lions in the third Test in Johannesburg in 2009.

That was one to remember for me with two tries that day, but the series had already gone.

To replicate that type of result, Wales will have to go toe-to-toe with the most physical pack in world rugby. I’ve had concerns for a while about Wales’ ball carrying and the contact area.

Sometimes we are guilty of sending runners up the middle without people in support ready to latch on. That will lead to trouble against South Africa as they will smash our carriers to kingdom come.

Our forwards need to hunt in packs and make sure there is always someone in support of the ball carrier. To get clean ball we will then need to make sure we commit the right numbers to the ruck.

The South Africans are such huge men that if we don’t do that, we’ll be in trouble.

I still fancy Wales to edge a tight game – so long as Hadleigh and Jon are OK – but whatever happens in the next week or so it has been a fantastic World Cup which could yet have the long-term legacy of changing rugby forever and for the better. That would be remarkable.

Japan have put on a great show as hosts – I knew they would – and the tournament even had to suffer weather disruption which I thought they dealt with well considering the chaos it caused.

I’ve been lucky enough to go to some great games over the course of the last month or so and I’ve enjoyed them all. There have been some huge clashes – New Zealand against South Africa and Wales’ win over Australia spring to mind – but there have also been some so-called smaller matches which have left me salivating.

I’ve seen the likes of Japan and Uruguay in action. I really think Tier 2 rugby is on the rise and that can only be for the greater good of the game as a whole. To see Uruguay beat Fiji was amazing. The same applies to Japan’s wins over Ireland and Scotland. I’m not sure many people would argue with the fact Japan have played some of the best rugby of the tournament. It was superb. I was hugely impressed with wings Kenki Fukuoka and Kotaro Matsushima and No.8 Kazuki Himeno.

Those three players were great individually, but the biggest thing Japan showed the world was their style of play. They showed there is more than one way to skin a cat and in today’s game – which seems to be dominated by size and strength more and more – they moved the ball around with some great handling, offloading and running lines.

I hope other teams – including Wales – look at that when the dust settles and think about how they could take a leaf from Japan’s book. If the Brave Blossoms can play that way, why can’t Wales? That’s especially the case as while Japan have been brilliant, their players aren’t as fit or skilful as those in the Welsh camp.

Matsushima makes my back-line team of the tournament with Wales’ Josh Adams on the other wing and it’s a toss-up between Williams and Beauden Barrett at full-back for me.

I must admit I didn’t think moving Barrett to 15 was the wisest of moves by New Zealand, but it has worked very well for them and Richie Mo’unga has gone superbly at fly-half.

He’s my No 10 so far with Faf de Klerk at scrum-half. Wales will have to keep him quiet if they are to get past South Africa. It will be a war of attrition and one I don’t envy the players going into.

The hits will be big enough for me to deal with from the commentary box and it’s one which makes me glad to be retired. I wish the boys all the best. They have to put their bodies on the line and give it everything. If they come off the pitch with no regrets that is all we can ask.

Wales will need big games from their forwards and the likes of Alun Wyn Jones, Jake Ball, and Ken Owens have to deliver. I’m praying Jon and Hadleigh are fit enough to start the game.

If they are, Wales have a chance. Losing Liam is a blow, but Wales couldn’t wish for a better man than Leigh Halfpenny to step in. South Africa is just the sort of game in which Leigh can thrive and I think he’ll have a stormer in a narrow Wales win with Dan Biggar kicking the goals.

Come on lads, your time is now!

SHANE WILLIAMS