Liam Williams to miss Wales' Test with world champions New Zealand due to injury
Tuesday 21 November 2017 13:26, UK
Liam Williams will miss Wales' Test with New Zealand on Saturday because of an abdominal injury.
The 26-year-old British and Irish Lions back will miss out after suffering the injury against Georgia on Saturday.
He joins fellow Welsh Lion, centre Jonathan Davies who is battling to play again this season due to the foot injury sustained in the autumn opener against Australia 17 days ago, on the sidelines.
Williams, who can cover the full-back or wing position, is not Wales' only absentee from the weekend.
In another injury setback, Cardiff Blues wing Alex Cuthbert has been released from the squad due to a calf muscle injury.
The Welsh Rugby Union has not put a timescale on either Williams' or Cuthbert's return.
Williams, 26, started on the wing against Australia, before moving to full-back in the Georgia game.
He is arguably Wales' most dangerous strike runner, and it is a considerable blow to their plans as they strive to avoid a 30th successive defeat against the All Blacks.
And it means that New Zealand will not have in opposition a player who tore them to shreds by launching a stunning counter-attack in the first Test that led to a memorable try for Ireland flanker Sean O'Brien.
Wales laboured to a 13-6 win over the Georgians at the Principality Stadium following a 29-21 home defeat by Australia.
Flanker Justin Tipuric (thigh) has returned to training but tight-head prop Samson Lee (Achilles) is also considered a major doubt.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland is not due to name his starting line-up until Thursday, but it is likely that Leigh Halfpenny will be joined in the back-three by Hallam Amos, who scored tries against the Wallabies and Georgia, plus the Scarlets' Steff Evans.
Williams' club side Saracens, meanwhile, face a busy forthcoming period of domestic and European action, including home and away Champions Cup games against French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne next month.
