From why his nickname is Sanjay to defusing bombs, find out more about the Scarlets star
Who is Liam Williams: Ten things you should know about the Wales wing
Capable of covering any position across the back three, Liam Williams is known as one of the best aerial players in the world.
He’s won Six Nations, Champions Cup, Pro14 and Gallagher Premiership titles, making him one of the most decorated players in the northern hemisphere.
Ten things you should know about Liam Williams
1. Liam Williams was born on 9 April 1991 in Swansea and is 6ft 2in and 13st 9lb.
2. He began playing rugby at Waunarlwydd RFC, where Wales prop Nicky Smith was also developed.
. Good times in the coal injection ? pic.twitter.com/x1sVvHJi7S
— Liam Williams (@SanjayWills) November 20, 2018
3. No regional academy picked up the young Williams, so he went to work as a scaffolder at the Port Talbot steelworks, operating at heights of up to 300ft. It’s clear where his comfort in the air comes from!
4. His nickname ‘Sanjay’ comes from a summer holiday to Greece when he was young. Another family thought he looked like Sanjay Kapoor, a market trader from EastEnders.
5. The Scarlets picked him up when he was 20 years old, initially developing Williams at Llanelli RFC. He made his full debut against Connacht in September 2011.
Liam Williams on debut against the Barbarians in 2012 (Getty Images)
6. Promotion to the senior Wales squad was rapid – he was first involved in camp in December 2011 before making his debut against the Barbarians in June 2012.
7. Saracens signed Williams on a three-year deal immediately after the full-back helped Scarlets to the Pro12 title. There he won two Premierships and a Champions Cup before rejoining Scarlets following the Saracens salary cap breach.
8. The 2017 British & Irish Lions tour saw Liam Williams start all three Tests at full-back against New Zealand. His break in the first match was the spark for one of the Lions’ greatest tries.
He was also selected for the Lions 2021 squad to tour South Africa.
9. He refers to himself on social media as a ‘professional bomb defuser’ for his aerial ability.
10. He has previously spoken about his struggles with a stammer, which he has addressed through speech therapy.
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