Liam Williams not planning to end Wales career despite move to Japan

Liam Williams has no plans to call time on his Wales career as he prepares for a post-World Cup stint in Japan that will sideline him from the Guinness Six Nations next year.

The Wales full-back is firmly on course to play in a third World Cup, with head coach Warren Gatland naming his 33-player squad next Monday.

After that, though, 32-year-old Williams will feature for Japanese club Kubota Spears in a domestic league that runs from December to May.

Williams won his 85th cap in Wales’ World Cup warm-up defeat against England at Twickenham, delivering a high-class display which was all the more impressive given that he had not played since March.

“I haven’t said I am retiring any time soon,” Williams said, ahead of next Saturday’s appointment with world champions South Africa in Cardiff.

“I will be in Japan for two years and we will see where that takes us and whether I am still available or not.

“I will speak to ‘Gats’ probably after the World Cup and towards the end of the season out there (in Japan).

“If they (Wales) want to take me to Australia for the summer tour next year, I will be available for that, but that is up to them.”

Gatland has hinted that he will include only four back-three players in the World Cup squad, which undoubtedly intensifies competition during the final week before selection.

It would be a huge surprise if Williams does not make the final cut, though – and start Wales’ opener against Fiji in Bordeaux on September 10th.

“I said to myself that I haven’t played since March so I am going to go out and have a decent game and have a bit of fun,” Williams added, reflecting on events at Twickenham.

“I was just happy to stick that shirt on again. It has been a little while.

“You can’t really replicate