By Alex Predelaux
Johnny Williams has scored more tries in a white shirt than he has in a red one – but he insists there will be no regrets when he lines up for Wales against England today.
The Scarlets centre once touched down in an England jersey, with a red rose on his chest, but he says the heart beating beneath always stirred to the land of his father.
Williams – who has beaten testicular cancer to reach rugby’s highest level – insists he is Welsh through and through as he prepares to take on the country of his birth.
And with a name like Johnny Bleddyn Rhys Williams it is hard to argue with his assertion.
Williams grew up watching Wales face England as a fan and was in the stands in Cardiff when they famously hammered the men in white 30-3 in 2013 to claim Six Nations title glory.
It means he’s known how big the games between the two bitter rivals are since he was old enough to throw a ball around.
“I’ve been to most of the Wales and England games at Principality Stadium. They are massive, massive games,” said Williams, who will win his second Welsh cap this afternoon.
“I know what they mean to Wales fans and we’ll be really excited to get stuck into it. To be honest I can’t wait for the step up and to test myself at that international standard.
“My dad is a massive fan. He’s a die-hard Welshman and Welsh speaking. I do consider myself as Welsh. I don’t have the accent, but I still want to play for Wales and I look better in a red shirt!
“England at the minute are definitely up there with their performances and results. It’s a massive challenge and one I can’t wait to get on the pitch for.”
Williams was born in Weston-super-Mare and much to the disappointment of his Rhyl-born father Gareth, he wore a white shirt at junior level. He even won the Under-20 World Cup with England.
In June last year he scored a try for England against the Barbarians in a non-capped Test at Twickenham as part of a team led by maverick Red Rose boss Eddie Jones.
But soon after, Williams’ world was turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis which saw him bedridden for the 2019 World Cup. His four-week chemotherapy treatment also meant he lost his hair.
Because the Barbarians game was not a capped Test, it did not tie Williams to England.
And the 24-year-old has bounced back impressively from his cancer hell.
🏴 Congrats to the 8⃣ Scarlets named in the Wales squad to face Georgia at @official_parc on Saturday and to our new caps Kieran Hardy and Johnny Williams!
Llongyfarchiadau bois #HWFN #YmaOHyd https://t.co/zSe5Ydc5dW
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) November 19, 2020
After swapping Newcastle Falcons for Welsh side Scarlets, he is now playing club and international rugby in Wales.
Known as ‘Bledd’ to his Wales team-mates, Williams said: “This has always been a dream of mine.
“These big games are the reason you want to make it to the top. My treatment was a massive setback, but I can look back on it with pride and joy knowing I fought through it to get back on the pitch. There were some tough times, but I got through it.
“This is probably the highest level. It’s quite surreal to be honest.”
Williams made an impressive Test debut in Wales’ 18-0 win over minnows Georgia.
But England will be an altogether different beast and a defeat would mean struggling head coach Wayne Pivac would be consigned to a seventh loss in 10 games.
He is not helped by injuries with international rookies Williams, Shane Lewis-Hughes and James Botham – grandson of cricket great Lord Botham – all starting against England.
Williams is one of 20 of Wales’ Autumn Nations Cup squad who has strong English links.
And it is Jones’ men who are firm favourites for the latest clash between the two sides.
@scarlets_rugby @WelshRugbyUnion congratulations Johnny Williams go well @tootalldrisc @ProstateCymru @VelindreCC pic.twitter.com/CqyYNrtvcU
— tim 2tall driscoll (@tootalldrisc) November 19, 2020
This time an empty Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli will be the venue rather than a raucous Principality.
Williams said: “There is an edge to the players and it’s a really good edge.
“Everyone is training 10 times harder than they have been. You can tell everyone is looking forward to the game by the atmosphere and what’s in the air. The boys can’t wait to get out there.”
England have lost on their last two visits across the border, but Saturday’s climax to Group A of the Autumn Nations Cup is being played behind closed doors at Parc y Scarlets and not in front of a packed house in Cardiff.
England put one foot in the final when they dismantled Ireland 18-7 at Twickenham last Saturday, using their brutal defence as an offensive weapon to bone-jarring effect.
But it continued a series of conclusive wins in which the attack has failed to ignite amid a strong emphasis on kicking and set-piece dominance, often at the cost of their willingness to expand horizons.
In response they have brought back George Ford at fly-half should to add a new dimension inside a centre combination of Owen Farrell and Henry Slade and the 27-year-old playmaker has a message for those concerned by failure to cut loose.
“Be more patient! We have one of the most experienced coaches in the world of rugby in Eddie Jones, who knows the game inside out,” Ford said.
“Eddie understands the process of things, the timelines, everything – it is unbelievable how much one guy knows about the game and the way he gets it across to his players.
“And we have a leadership who are pretty experienced and understand the game at international level as well, so we understand we need to get certain aspects right first.
“Then of course we want to be improving our attack to be a threat and improve on a variety of ways to score points.
“In Test rugby, you have to have really strong foundations. The nuts and bolts are set piece, defence and discipline and then getting your work rate and energy in the right place every week.”