Tom Youngs backing Owen Williams for Wales call after Munster heroics
Sunday 18 December 2016 20:18, UK
Tom Youngs is surprised his Leicester team-mate Owen Williams continues to be overlooked by Wales.
Williams has been in fine form for the Tigers this season and booted six penalties, including the clincher from beyond the halfway line, in their 18-16 win over Munster in the European Champions Cup on Saturday.
But the 24-year-old, who can play at fly-half and centre, has still not been capped at higher than U20 level despite his high level of performance, with Wales well stocked in his positions thanks to the likes of Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny, Gareth Anscombe and Jonathan Davies among others.
However, Tigers skipper Youngs feels Wales are missing a trick by ignoring Williams.
"I am surprised because he offers something different to what they've got there," he said.
"But I am sure he will just keep working hard and keep his head down. You enjoy playing with guys with good temperaments like that. They want to fight for everything, and they enjoy the challenge.
"Owen has grown a lot. He's a tremendous player, a competitor who wants to win. He is up for any sort of challenge.
"Owen is a pretty honest and reliable guy. Fair play to him. I can't imagine what that pressure is like when the whole crowd is silent and you have a big kick like that one."
Youngs was pleased to see Williams' kick go over and secure victory for Leicester, giving them a modicum of revenge for their "embarrassing" 38-0 hiding in the reverse fixture in Limerick a week earlier.
"It was probably one of the worst weeks I've had," he said. "When you lose 38-0, it's never great. We have been pretty honest with ourselves.
"It was really building up all week, and to go out and dog it out was fantastic. We knew we had to be a lot, lot better, and I thought we were.
"I think it proves the point that when we play with that intensity, we are there or thereabouts. It makes us tough to beat. We have got to bring that every week.
"There were plenty of words flying around after last week. There were no good words. To be honest, it was probably the best thing to do because we had to get it off the chest.
"If you are honest with each other, you can move on, and we were. We were nowhere good enough last week. It was embarrassing, really."
