Rhys "Drags" Williams
Personal information
Full nameRhys Williams
Born (1989-12-08) 8 December 1989
Mynydd Isa, Flintshire, Wales
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight15 st 8 lb (99 kg)
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2010–13 Warrington Wolves 29 21 0 0 84
2011(loan) → Crusaders RL 10 6 0 0 24
2012(loan) → Castleford Tigers 8 4 0 0 16
2013(loan) → Salford City Reds 4 0 0 0 0
2013(loan) → Swinton Lions 16 9 0 0 36
2014 Central Qld Capras 24 11 0 0 32
2015–19 London Broncos 154 100 0 0 400
2020–23 Salford Red Devils 55 18 0 0 72
2024– Swinton Lions 0 0 0 0 0
Total 300 169 0 0 664
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2008– Wales 33 22 0 0 88
2019– Wales 9s 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3]
As of 27 October 2023

Rhys Williams (born 8 December 1989) is a Welsh former professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Swinton Lions in the RFL Championship and Wales at international level.

He has played at club level for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League, and on loan from Warrington at Crusaders RL, Castleford and Salford in the Super League and the Swinton Lions in the Championship. He also played for the Central Queensland Capras in the Queensland Cup and the London Broncos in the Championship and the Super League.

Background

Williams was born in Wrexham, Wales.

He attended Argoed High School.

He then played rugby union for Mold RFC and Llanelli Scarlets, before switching to rugby league.

Upon leaving Salford Red Devils at the end of the 2023 season he started training as a PE teacher in Chester.

Playing career

Warrington

Williams scored his first try for Warrington in the 68–16 win over Salford at Murrayfield on 1 May 2010, at the Magic Weekend in Edinburgh.[4]

Williams playing for the Warrington Wolves in 2013

Crusaders RL

At the beginning of the 2011 season, Williams went back to his hometown of Wrexham to play for the Crusaders on loan. He scored his first try for the club against Salford at the Millennium Stadium on 13 February 2011, at Magic Weekend in Cardiff. After 6 games with the Welsh club, he was recalled to Warrington.

Castleford

He later spent time on loan at Castleford.[5]

Salford

Williams went on loan to the Salford club.

Central Queensland Capras

In 2014, Rhys joined the Central Queensland Capras in the Intrust Super Cup.

London Broncos

In August 2014, Williams signed a contract that would see him move back to England in 2015. He signed with a Championship club, the London Broncos.[6]

Williams playing for the London Broncos in 2019

In October 2019, Williams signed a contract to join Super League side Salford. Williams left London having scored 100 tries for the club in 152 games.[7]

Salford (Second Spell)

On 17 October 2020, he played in the 2020 Challenge Cup Final defeat for Salford against Leeds at Wembley Stadium in which he scored a sensational length of the field try.[8]

Swinton Lions

On 27 Oct 2023 it was reported that he will join Swinton Lions for 2024 on a 2-year deal.[9]

International career

Rhys is Wales' most capped player with 33 as of November 2022. Williams was named in Wales team to face England at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster prior to England's departure for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[10][11] He has subsequently earned a further 9 caps for Wales, including several games during the 2010 Alitalia European Cup. During that tournament Williams scored a hat-trick of tries against Scotland.

Having won the European Cup, Wales earned a spot in the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations. Again, Williams was named in the Welsh squad for the end of season tournament, and played for Wales in every match, scoring a try against Australia.

In 2012, two tries in a fixture against France saw Williams overtake Iestyn Harris to become Wales' all-time leading try scorer.

He played again for Wales in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

In October 2014, Williams played in the 2014 European Cup.[12] He scored a try in the opening game against Scotland.

In October and November 2015, Williams played in the 2015 European Cup.

In October 2016, Williams played in the 2017 World Cup qualifiers, scoring two tries in the country's opening game against Serbia.

He was selected in the Wales 9s squad for the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s.[13]

Rhys was selected again for the delayed 2021 Rugby League World Cup in October 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "Rhys Williams – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project". rugbyleagueproject.org.
  2. ↑ "Players – Love Rugby League".
  3. ↑ itsrugby
  4. ↑ "Salford 16–68 Warrington". BBC. 1 May 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  5. ↑ "Castleford Tigers sign Rhys Williams on loan". www.bbc.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "Wales's Rhys Williams to join London Broncos after year in Australia". The Guardian. Press Association. 1 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "Salford Red Devils: Elliot Kear, Rhys Williams & Luke Yates join from London Broncos". www.bbc.co.uk.
  8. ↑ "Leeds beat Salford 17-16 after Luke Gale lands late winning drop-goal". www.bbc.co.uk.
  9. ↑ "Wales star Rhys Williams makes Championship move following Salford Red Devils departure". Love Rugby League. 27 October 2023.
  10. ↑ "Gleeson to lead new-look England". BBC. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  11. ↑ "Crusaders dominate Wales' squad". BBC. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  12. ↑ "RLEF." rlef.eu.com.
  13. ↑ "16-man squad for 9s World Cup revealed". Wales RL. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
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