Wing Williams completes fine season

Tuesday 13th May 2008

Golden touch: Williams completes a remarkable season

Welsh wing Shane Williams has completed a remarkable season by scooping the award for Wales' Player of the Year.

The award, voted for by the Welsh Rugby Writers' Association, was a landslide in favour of the man who became Wales' leading try scorer during the Six Nations.

He adds this award to a Grand Slam winners medal, as well as Player of the Six Nations and his try-scoring record.

His six tries in the Six Nations ensured he overtook Gareth Thomas' record of 40 Test tries, with his record standing at 41 tries in 56 Tests.

Two more Ospreys completed the top three in this year's poll, with Grand Slam captain Ryan Jones coming second and full-back Lee Byrne finishing third.

It's the first time Williams has been named Player of the Year, an illustrious award that has been won by the likes of Gareth Edwards, Barry John, JPR Williams, Mervyn Davies, Phil Bennett, Terry Holmes, Jonathan Davies and Ieuan Evans in the past, with more recent recipients including Neil Jenkins, Rob Howley, Scott Quinnell, Gareth Thomas and Martyn Williams.

Young Blues back Jamie Roberts took the award for Most Promising Player of the Year, with Neath flanker Lee Beach chosen as Premiership Player of the Year.

For Roberts, it's the completion of a double as he was voted Premiership Player of the Year last year.

Now, having had an exceptional first season in regional rugby with the Blues - during which he made his Test debut - he takes the Most Promising Player title.

Roberts has figured mainly on the wing for the Blues but could line up in his preferred full-back berth for Wales on next month's tour of South Africa, with Lee Byrne sidelined through injury.