Shane Williams MBE picked up his first rugby ball when he was still at primary school. Small for his age, he was often told he was too small to play rugby, and so he took up football instead, playing for Cwmamman United AFC. On the day of their cup final, he was invited to play rugby with his friends at Amman United RFC; he joined them and scored an impressive five tries. The rest, they say, is history.

SHANE WILLIAMS | RUGBY CLUB CAREER

Shane started his junior career at Amman United, before joining Neath in his first senior role in 1998, where he stayed until 2003. During that time, he scored 612 points in 129 appearances. He then signed to Ospreys in 2003, scoring 293 points in 141 appearances.

He had initially planned to retire from playing rugby and instead join the Ospreys’ backroom staff, but instead played one season in Japan with the Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars, a second division team. During his time there, he scored 30 points in 10 appearances.

He officially retired at the end of the 2013/14 season, but still played occasionally for his home club, Amman United.

SHANE WILLIAMS | INTERNATIONAL CAREER

As well as his amazing playing at club level, Shane was picked for the Welsh team, earning his first cap at the 2000 Six Nations championships. He would play for Wales for over a decade, scoring 290 points in 87 appearances. After a plague of injuries, Shane considered leaving the team, but instead decided to stay and even played in the 2003 rugby world cup in Australia. He would go on to play in the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.

He was part of the Welsh team that won the Grand Slam in the 2005 Six Nations Championship. At the Championships in 2008, Shane became joint eighth on the all-time test try scoring list; Wales won the whole thing again. The following year, he increased his place on the list to sixth, and then fifth three games later.

He decided to finish playing internationally for Wales at the end of 2011.

In 2005, he was selected for the British & Irish Lions team for their New Zealand tour. He equalled a single-game Lion record by scoring five tries in just one match. He was picked for the 2009 squad to South Africa, producing a man-of-the-match performance in the final test. He was once again picked for the 2013 tour in Australia. Overall, he scored 10 points in four appearances.

SHANE WILLIAMS | BEYOND RUGBY

Since his retirement, Shane Williams has held a number of high-ranking job titles. He is the Director of Star Multifuels, a company delivering home heating fuels across Wales; Co-Founder of Perthyn Spirits, a low alcohol spirit drink; and is now the Director and Sales Director of renewable energy provider, Star Advanced Energy.

SHANE WILLIAMS | MEDIA CAREER

Shane Williams is a popular TV pundit and is a familiar face on Welsh-language programmes on S4C. He joined BBC Wales in 2012 as a pundit, covering the Six Nations. He even made a cameo appearance in an episode of comedy drama Stella (2012).

In 2017, he opened his doors to the nation by appearing in BBC One Wales documentary Shane – For the Love of the Game, which followed Shane to work, trying new sports, and building a life outside of rugby.

SHANE WILLIAMS | SPEAKING

Shane Williams MBE is now a very popular sports speaker, reflecting on the highs and lows of competitive playing.

SPEAKING TOPICS

– Club Rugby

– International Rugby

– Maximising Success

– Overcoming Professional Challenges

– Drive and Determination

– Peak Performance

– Sporting Success

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Welsh rugby player Shane Williams for your next live event.

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