Leigh Halfpenny may have been the darling of Welsh rugby over the past year but it hasn’t dampened Scarlets full-back Liam Williams’ hopes of dislodging him.
Halfpenny, the leading points scorer in this year’s RBS 6 Nations, also put in a number of sterling displays on the summer tour of Australia.
But Williams, who won his only international cap against the Barbarians in June, has been raising eyebrows himself this season.
And after being rewarded with a place in Warren Gatland’s 35-man squad for the autumn internationals he isn’t short of confidence.
“Leigh is a class act, but I just have to go out there, train hard and, if my chance comes, hopefully I can take it,” said the 21-year-old.
“All it takes is one injury and I could be starting or on the bench. Things like that always happen.
“I have just got to keep on working hard and it will be great if I can get a chance to put myself up against the likes of New Zealand and Australia, the best in the world.
“It will be tough, but it’s about working hard and trying to show the coaches what I can do.
“I’ll go out there, train hard and hopefully get a couple of games in the autumn.
“It’s great to have been picked in the squad. I never expected to be involved, I was just trying to do my thing for the Scarlets and hope it was enough.
“I still haven’t come to terms with it all. It has been an outstanding 12 months, but I am just trying to take it in my stride, game by game.”
