Kubota Spears full-back Liam Williams is on the road to full fitness after undergoing knee surgery and will train with Wales during their Autumn Nations Series campaign, RugbyJP can exclusively reveal.
Williams, 33, who made seven appearances for Chiba-based Kubota last season, was a surprise omission from the 35-man squad Warren Gatland named on Monday for the Autumn Nations Series in November.
The former Scarlets full-back started for Wales in their two summer tests against Australia and then underwent knee surgery after returning home.
Williams, who recently spent a week in Japan with Kubota, is back in his homeland where he’s stepping up his fitness bid and will train with the national side throughout the Autumn Nations Series.
The vastly-experienced Welshman, who has made four appearances for the British and Irish Lions, still has 2027 Rugby World Cup ambitions and will be a key figure in the camp as one of his country’s most accomplished players.
The Welsh squad will report for duty on Monday 28 October ahead of playing familiar World Cup rivals Fiji and Australia before facing back-to-back World Cup winners South Africa at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Williams is set to return to Japan on 15 December to join former Australia fly-half Bernard Foley and Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx along with his former Saracens colleague Ollie Stonham.
Kubota kick off the new campaign against Aaron Smith’s big-spending Toyota Verblitz on Sunday 22 December at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo.
Picture courtesy of Kubota Spears
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