by Thomas Rooney | Winger Shane Williams is ready to make his final appearance for Wales this weekend with the clash against Australia at the Millennium Stadium set to be his final international appearance.
Williams – who played his part in a Warren Gatland’s men reaching the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final – will retire after winning his 87th cap for Wales after a career that has seen him become one of the most respected players in the sport.
He is also Wales’ top tryscorer of all time and is set to get an excellent reaction from the home crowd on Saturday.
Coach Gatland believes that Williams – who has played against many players in gilbert boots during his career – will get a fantastic send-off against the Australians, something he fully deserves after being a fantastic servant to Welsh rugby.
The South African said: “It does not often happen in professional sport that a player gets the opportunity to call time on his international career, then play one last match like this one in front of his home fans and the people he has given so much joy and entertainment to.â€
“Saturday is a great opportunity for the fans to show Shane what he has meant to them and we all hope to send him off on the right note.â€
“But, as we remember the highs and lows of New Zealand and the World Cup, the focus must now be to build for the next four years, the immediate future of the Six Nations next year and towards the 2015 World Cup.â€
“Players like Scott Andrews, Ian Evans and Lloyd Williams [have] an immediate opportunity to impress and also the likes of Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar and Alex Cuthbert with a chance from the bench.â€
Being the character he is of course, Williams will be keen to bow out of international rugby on the winning team, so will give it his all against a strong Australia side.
As for the Wallabies, they warmed up for Saturday’s clash with a convincing 60-11 victory over the Barbarians at Twickenham last weekend.
For Wales, the 2012 Six Nations preparations start here as they wave goodbye to one of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous Welsh jersey.