ALL TOLD, 2008 was quite a good year for Shane Williams. The Welsh rugby team won the Six Nations, claiming its second Grand Slam in four years, and Williams himself was named Player of the Tournament.
He also became Wales’ all-time leading try-scorer in the title-clinching game against France. Later in the year, Williams was named World Player of the Year by an International Rugby Board (IRB) panel of ex-internationals. Oh, and he won Welsh Sports Personality of the Year as well. And the Rugby Writers’ Pat Marshall Memorial Award.
So what about the future? Ready to retire yet?
“I don’t know,” he laughs. “I’m going to hang on as long as I possibly can. Got a few years left in me yet. If I can still be playing international rugby in 2011 and go onto the next World Cup, that’d be great. That would certainly be the pinnacle of my career and ending in style, but I don’t know – I don’t know what’s going to happen next week.”
Looking at him now, it’s hard to believe you could be talking to Shane Williams about retirement. He seems barely to have aged since exploding onto the international rugby scene in 2000. Only a few wrinkles around the eyes betray a man the wrong side of 30. He also has a very endearing habit of saying “really” a lot.
“It was a crazy year, really, not only with the rugby but I had my testimonial year as well so it was kind of flat out really. It was just one of those years, really; I suppose the luck of the bounce was there throughout the year. Just crazy, really, how well the year actually went.”
Sorry, enough of that. But 2008 really was an impressive year for Shane, who not only won three individual awards but passed former teammate Gareth Thomas’ record to become Wales’ all-time leading try-scorer (“Alfie’s taken it on the chin,” laughs Shane). But do any of those achievements matter to him more than success for the national team? Of course not.
It’s more important to Shane that the team as a whole had a good year – so it’s a good thing it did. Wales was, and is, the only nation in the northern hemisphere to feature in the IRB world rankings’ top five. Expectations must be high for this year, surely: after victories against Scotland and England, another Six Nations Grand Slam could be on the cards.
“I certainly know there’s a lot of pressure and expectation in Wales,” says Shane. “We’ve had that for years. People are very passionate about the sport. It’s almost a sort of religion to a lot of people.
“We’re more than capable of doing very well again and winning, certainly with the squad and the coaching staff we’ve got at the moment – probably the strongest squad we’ve had as far as I can remember as a national side.”
Strong words from a man who has played in two Grand Slam-winning teams. No pressure then.
“We put expectations on ourselves. We pressure ourselves into playing well every time we play, and of course after winning it last year we’d love that feeling again.
“We’re lucky in the Welsh squad: we’ve always had a very good spirit and camaraderie in the team, even when we’re not doing well. It’s a great atmosphere there. The boys certainly play for each other, and I think that reflects on the way we perform on the field.
“But it’s going to be very difficult: sides are going to be analysing the way we’re playing at the moment and are going to be gunning to put us back on our arse.”
France – Wales’ next opponents – certainly will be. After a 29-12 defeat to the Welsh last year in a game France needed to win comfortably to retain the Six Nations title, Les Bleus will be seeking revenge. Unpredictable at the best of times, France are, in Shane’s words, “a different animal” on home turf.
“I think the most difficult game will be the French at their home ground,” he affirms. “You don’t know what French side’s going to turn up on the day.” It will be difficult for Wales to know what to expect, and with an evening kick-off late on Friday night – the first game in Six Nations history not to be played on a weekend – anything could happen. Nevertheless, Shane is optimistic, adding, “But we’ve won there before, so why not again?”
Ireland, too, will be a difficult prospect with “the world-class talent and bags and bags of experience” Shane recognises in their side, but it’s not just the opposition on the pitch looking to knock the Welsh team down a peg. Fans – even Welsh fans – can stick the boot in sometimes, as Shane knows. “I’ve been in bars and pubs,” he begins, “and people have come up to me face to face and told me that I’m shit, and feel they’ve got the right to do that, you know? It is hard to take sometimes. I don’t go up to someone in a pub and say, ‘Well, you didn’t work very hard this week and you’re rubbish at your job.’”
Far from it – when this interviewer gets his facts wrong Shane waits, shyly corrects the error and carries on as if nothing has happened. He’s not one to complain about the trials of fame either. “I’ve been out sometimes,” he says, “and I’ve got into trouble for something that really hasn’t had anything to do with me. But because I’m there, I’ve been the name bandied about. It is difficult, but you do take the rough with the smooth.”
In October of last year, Shane released his autobiography. “I just felt it was the right time,” he says. “I wanted to bring a book out when I was still playing, rather than finish and then complain and moan.” Very noble. Still, there’s some hot gossip, right? ”’What goes on tour stays on tour,” he smiles.
Damn.
It’s no dry read, though, as Shane explains. “There’s a little bit of insight into us as people rather than rugby players, and there are a few jokes; a few incidents with boys like Gav [Henson]. The things that people speculate about, but never really know the true story.”
Speaking of Henson, is Shane inspired by his plan to have six or more children? Will there be an all-Williams Welsh side in the future?
“No,” he laughs. “One or two would probably suit me. My daughter’s a handful in herself – she’s almost like having six anyway. No, fair play to Gav and Charlotte – that’s quite gutsy, really! I wish them all the best with that.”
For now, Shane’s focus is firmly on the Six Nations. Wales’ improvement since the arrival of head coach Warren Gatland and defence coach Shaun Edwards has been remarkable, but it has been suggested their respective backgrounds in New Zealand and England indicate a dearth of quality Welsh coaches ready to helm the national side. Shane disagrees.
“I don’t know if there’s a shortage of Welsh coaches at the top level,” he frowns. “I think the standard of coaching is there. It’s just that at the moment Warren Gatland’s come in from New Zealand, he’s done the job and all of a sudden people are saying, ‘Do we need to go to other countries and other cultures because of what has been achieved?’”
And does Shane feel his own place threatened by the younger crop of talented Welsh wingers: Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts, Tom James et al? No, apparently. “It’s nice to have someone nipping at your heels. It keeps you hungry for the game.”
Typical. Not only is Shane Williams successful, happy and driving a sporty Jag, he’s a genuinely nice guy.
Really.
1. Alex Winter
Same old rubbish.
Why isn’t this a preview to the France game on Friday? This could have gone out at any time of the year.
Where is the coverage of the test-match from Antigua? The first-abandoned-then-hastily-rearranged-and-went-down-to-the-last-ball test match that interests far more people than this bog-standard interview does.
Gair Rhydd – the official newspaper of the Wales Rugby Union.
2. Jamie
Um, what? Does it not make sense for an interview to go out shortly after it was given? And at a relevant time, when the player in question is part of a squad who are competing in a major competition?
As for the Antigua match, we are in Wales. Therefore gair rhydd primarily covers Welsh sport. Wales did not play in Antigua. Therefore gair rhydd did not cover the match.
Makes sense when you think about it.
3. Rasputin
To be fair, Jamie, it is the England and Wales cricket team. But yeah, Alex, think on: in Wales rugby will always interest more people than cricket (and I say that as a massive cricket fan) and an interview with one of the world’s greatest will interest more people than a rehashed discussion of an abandoned Test Match that, I think you’ll agree, has already been covered everywhere.
Furthermore, the Six Nations are ongoing and therefore current, making it timely now. And why isn’t there more on the France match? Because a) I imagine many people would appreciate an insight into such a famous player, and b) you work with what the interviewee gives you. Of course, if you’d prefer a 100-word bulletin with a player soundbite, that’s entirely up to you.
Also, if you’re given the opportunity to interview the World Player of the Year, you fucking take it.
Tit.
4. Alex Winter
No but this article doesn’t talk about the Six Nations! It’s a general interview about Shane Williams – could have gone out any time during the rugby season.
If it goes out in the Six Nations then the focus should be on the Six Nations – and the interviewer asks the questions!! Had they asked about the France game a little more i’m sure Williams would have answered accordingly!!
I’m not denying don’t interview Shane Williams – just ask better, more relevant quesitons, or if not, save the interview and put it out some other time.
And there was no Wales rugby last weekend. The test-match was far far more important, and the controversy the abandonment and then the fantastic game that followed in the rearranged match would have made for much better entertainment than a very poor predictable interview.
The editors of this paper havn’t got a clue – Welsh propaganda 24/7. Makes me sick.
5. Paul
You realise the editor of gair rhydd is English right?
Yes this is quite obviously Welsh propaganda, not simply running an article that the readers will be interested in.
You are a complete and utter clueless twat.
6. Kurt
This has clearly got out of hand. The reason the gair rhydd doesn’t comment on 6 nations is because it comes out on Saturday and by the time people pick it up- it won’t be relevant anymore. But…interesting debate.
7. Thomas Carroll
Alex did you even read the interview? Huw quite clearly asked Williams about both the France AND Ireland games. Feck me you’re an idiot…
8. Alex Winter
Kurt, these lads are incapable of debate as their vocab seems to be stuck in a gutter in Ely. They can clearly take critique very well.
Of course I read the article Mr Carroll, and it mentioned the France game 3/4 through, for two paragraphs! The French game is the latest news, not Williams’ career achievements, that should have taken prominance.
Readers got their diet of rugby with the large story about the England players moving to France – a very relevant story. We didn’t need more, especially that which only talks about upcoming events for three paragraphs.
Regardless of where the editor hails from, he clearly didn’t balance the sports section and thought Lance Armstrong’s stolen bike, Ryan Giggs’ milestone (actually several weeks ago) and the life and times of Shane Williams was more important than one of the best test-matches ever played!!
9. Andy
“The test-match was far far more important, and the controversy the abandonment and then the fantastic game that followed in the rearranged match would have made for much better entertainment…”
But it’s all subjective isn’t it Alex? Personally, I’d sooner gouge my own eyes out with red hot dessert spoons than read about/watch/be involved in any way with Cricket, as I find it terminally dull. Now, I understand there are probably plenty of Cricket fans in Cardiff Uni, but clearly the sport editors felt that these stories were more important and fitted their pages this week (they don’t have unlimited room you see). Quite how not talking about Cricket (boo hoo) and putting in an interview with one of the best Rugby players in the World (regardless of his nationality) during a major tournament equates to ‘Welsh propaganda’ I don’t quite know. That idea is laughable.
10. Alex Winter
Well Andy, it is subjective also that people wanted to read two major articles about rugby.
Everyone is missing the point. There is no harm in interviewing a top rugby player, but it is the context and timing in which it is used.
Had the article been primarily surrounding the build up to the French game – fair enough. Had there been absolutely no other news to talk about – fair enough. But the fact that a major news story, and a very popular one at that, was overlooked for a general interview – and there’s no getting away from that fact: this interview is ordinary – is deplorable editorial direction.
Every edition we have Welsh rugby rammed down our throats. That is where the “Welsh propaganda” features. Change the record. And i’m not saying ‘put anything but Welsh rugby in’, there was a brilliant piece waiting to be written but it was somehow overlooked.
11. Andy
I think our that our individual understandings of propaganda must differ then Alex. I don’t understand for a minute why you fell a Welsh University’s student paper can’t write fairly regularly about Welsh Rugby during the 6N.
12. Paul
Alex, how is Welsh rugby rammed down your throat? The reason there is a lot of Welsh rugby is because a lot of people enjoy rugby and we happen to be situated in Wales (make sense?).
You mention the timing of the interview, does the fact that we are in the middle of one of the biggest tournaments in the world right now not make it appropriate timing? Shane Williams is arguably the best player in the world at the moment, to interview him and leave the fact that he has had an incredible career to one side would be ridiculous!
If your so pissed off not enough is written about cricket then email the section and ask to write the article yourself.
And I appear to be as baffled by your definition of propaganda as Andy.