Rhys Williams (rugby league)
{{short description|Wales international rugby league footballer}}
{{For|other rugby league and rugby union footballers of this name|Rhys Williams (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Rhys "Drags" Williams
|fullname = Rhys Williams
|image = Rhys Williams London Broncos.jpg
|imagesize =
|position = {{rlp|WG|CE}}
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|12|8}}
|birth_place = Mynydd Isa, Flintshire, Wales
| height = {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|99|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}}
|retired = no
|club1 = Warrington Wolves
|year1start = 2010
|year1end = 13
|appearances1 = 29
|tries1 = 21
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 84
|club2 = → Crusaders RL
|year2start = 2011{{small|(loan)}}
|year2end =
|appearances2 = 10
|tries2 = 6
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 24
|club3 = → Castleford Tigers
|year3start = 2012{{small|(loan)}}
|year3end =
|appearances3 = 8
|tries3 = 4
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 16
|club4 = {{nowrap|→ Salford City Reds}}
|year4start = 2013{{small|(loan)}}
|year4end =
|appearances4 = 4
|tries4 = 0
|goals4 = 0
|fieldgoals4 = 0
|points4 = 0
|club5 = → Swinton Lions
|year5start = 2013{{small|(loan)}}
|year5end =
|appearances5 = 16
|tries5 = 9
|goals5 = 0
|fieldgoals5 = 0
|points5 = 36
|club6 = {{nowrap|Central Qld Capras}}
|year6start = 2014
|year6end =
|appearances6 = 24
|tries6 = 11
|goals6 = 0
|fieldgoals6 = 0
|points6 = 32
|club7 = London Broncos
|year7start = 2015
|year7end = 19
|appearances7 = 154
|tries7 = 100
|goals7 = 0
|fieldgoals7 = 0
|points7 = 400
|club8 = Salford Red Devils
|year8start = 2020
|year8end = 23
|appearances8 = 55
|tries8 = 18
|goals8 = 0
|fieldgoals8 = 0
|points8 = 72
|club9 = Swinton Lions
|year9start = 2024
|year9end =
|appearances9 = 33
|tries9 = 18
|goals9 = 0
|fieldgoals9 = 0
|points9 = 72
| club10 = {{nowrap|Widnes Vikings}}
| year10start = 2025
| year10end = present
| appearances10 = 0
| tries10 = 0
| goals10 = 0
| fieldgoals10 = 0
| points10 = 0
|teamA = Wales
|yearAstart = 2008
|yearAend = present
|appearancesA = 33
|triesA = 22
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 88
|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/rhys-williams/summary.html|title=Rhys Williams – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=rugbyleagueproject.org}}{{cite web|url=http://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Rhys-Williams|title=Players – Love Rugby League}}[http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_19184.html itsrugby]
| updated = 21 January 2025
}}
Rhys Williams (born 8 December 1989) is a Welsh former professional rugby league footballer who last played as a {{rlp|wg}}er for the Widnes Vikings 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.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
He then played rugby union for Mold RFC and Llanelli Scarlets, before switching to rugby league.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
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.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/8644792.stm|title=Salford 16–68 Warrington|publisher=BBC|date=1 May 2010|access-date=1 May 2010}}
=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.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
=Castleford=
=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.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/aug/01/wales-rhys-williams-london-broncos-australia|title=Wales's Rhys Williams to join London Broncos after year in Australia|agency=Press Association|date=1 August 2014|work=The Guardian}}
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/50081806/|title=Salford Red Devils: Elliot Kear, Rhys Williams & Luke Yates join from London Broncos|work=BBC Sport |date=17 October 2019 }}
=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.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/54555957/|title=Leeds beat Salford 17-16 after Luke Gale lands late winning drop-goal|work=BBC Sport |date=15 October 2020 }}
=Swinton Lions=
On 27 Oct 2023 it was reported that he will join Swinton Lions for 2024 on a 2-year deal.{{cite web|website=Love Rugby League |date=27 Oct 2023|title=Wales star Rhys Williams makes Championship move following Salford Red Devils departure|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/wales-star-rhys-williams-makes-championship-move-following-salford-red-devils-departure}}
=Widnes Vikings=
On 21 Jan 2025 it was reported that he had signed for Widnes Vikings in the RFL Championship{{cite web|website=Total RL|date=21 Jan 2025|author=Callum Walker|title=Widnes Vikings land “massive coup” in shape of former Salford Red Devils winger|url=https://www.totalrl.com/widnes-vikings-land-massive-coup-in-shape-of-former-salford-red-devils-winger/}}
=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.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7642490.stm|title=Gleeson to lead new-look England|publisher=BBC|date=9 October 2008|access-date=10 October 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7642490.stm|title=Crusaders dominate Wales' squad|publisher=BBC|date=3 October 2008|access-date=10 October 2008}} 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.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
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.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
He played again for Wales in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.
In October 2014, Williams played in the 2014 European Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.rlef.eu.com/news/article/899/kear-announces-welsh-train-on-squad|title=RLEF..|website=rlef.eu.com}} He scored a try in the opening game against Scotland.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
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.{{cite web|date=9 October 2019|title=16-man squad for 9s World Cup revealed|url=https://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/16722/-man-squad-for-s-world-cup-revealed|publisher=Wales RL|access-date=1 November 2019}}
Rhys was selected again for the delayed 2021 Rugby League World Cup in October 2022.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://londonbroncosrl.com/players/rhys-williams/ London Broncos profile]
- [https://www.superleague.co.uk/player/437/rhys%3Cbr-%3Ewilliams SL profile]
- [http://www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk/flintshire-sport/2010/02/25/rugby-league-former-mold-starlet-rhys-williams-aiming-for-a-shot-at-the-big-time-with-the-warrington-wolves-51352-25912891/ Former Mold Starlet Rhys Williams Aiming For a Shot at the Big Time with the Warrington Wolves]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8265973.stm Evans twins named in Wales squad]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8309208.stm Wales look to restore lost pride]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8334615.stm Wales 42–12 Ireland]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/8644792.stm Salford 16–68 Warrington]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/warrington/8697021.stm Rhys Williams happy with season so far at Warrington]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/warrington/8632642.stm Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith signs new contract]
- (archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20171018191413/http://www.rlwc2017.com/players?team=426#Rhys-Williams Statistics at rlwc2017.com]
- [https://rugbyleague.wales/player-rl?id=153995&authtoken=QkU3RUVDRjAtMzYzNi00Q0M3LTk0Q0EtMEE4MUI2QkJGMjM4&teamid=MTA1MzU3 Wales profile]
- [https://www.nrl.com/players/rugby-league-world-cup/wales/rhys-williams/ Welsh profile]
{{Widnes Vikings squad}}
{{Wales squad 2011 Rugby League Four Nations}}
{{Wales 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{Wales 2017 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{Wales 2021 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Rhys}}
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Castleford Tigers players
Category:Central Queensland Capras players
Category:Crusaders Rugby League players
Category:Footballers who switched code
Category:London Broncos players
Category:Rugby league players from Flintshire
Category:Salford Red Devils players
Category:Swinton Lions players
Category:Wales national rugby league team players
Category:Warrington Wolves players