By Paul Evans

Scott Williams gave his stunning new Escort Mk2 its competition debut on the Fairfield Merlin Stages Rally today, finishing the event in a flying 16th place overall – out of 70 starters.

The immaculate car is the latest addition to the Scott Williams Motorsport fleet, with the west Wales team showcasing its great engineering talents by building it in one week!

The Osprey’s centre, who is recovering from a torn hamstring, is a very accomplished rally driver and was inch perfect around the Welsh Motorsports Centre at Pembrey, putting on a spectacular display in the powerful red left-hand drive machine.

Co-driven by his wife Tanya, Williams mastered the slippery early morning conditions, pressed on hard during a dry afternoon and made sure of a great result in the damp and drizzle of the fifth and final stage.

“I’m chuffed to have got through the event and reached the finish with no problems whatsoever, in a car that the boys only took a week to build for me,” said Williams. “Pembrey can be quite a tricky place, tight in places with a lot of chicanes, but we didn’t push too hard and kept it on the black stuff.

“It was a great event to promote my motorsport business, and it was the first time that my wife has sat in with me too. I think she enjoyed it – we’re still speaking to each other anyway!”

And having been out of rugby since limping off the pitch mid-way through the Ospreys’ Pro14 victory over the Cheetahs, there is good news on that front too.

“I’ve been out of rugby for about six weeks now, but hopefully I’ll be back playing in the next week or so,” added Williams. “It’s a long season and I’m using my head a little bit with the hamstring injury, because it can be a real pain if it reoccurs. I just want to make sure that it’s one hundred per cent before I return to the field.”