Two days after giving the Italians the run-around at the Millennium Stadium with two more electric tries, the wing-wonder spent the morning motionless as Vicari continued his drawing.
WRU Video: A special feature with Shane Williams and Andrew Vicari
Williams has been granted a testimonial season by former club Neath and his Regional side, the Ospreys, and the three-drawing-portrait, or ‘Triptych’, of him by Vicari will be auctioned at one of a number of fund raising events he will hold throughout the year.
The world’s highest paid living artist, the Port Talbot-born and Neath-raised Vicari is donating the work to Williams’s testimonial as a mark of respect for him.
“It’s a huge honour to be asked to sit for someone like Andrew Vicari. He is one of the greatest living artists and respected all over the world,” said Williams.
“It was an honour just to meet him but to have him work on a piece of artwork to help with my testimonial is really humbling.
“I’ve been to a few sittings already and there are a few more to come. Although it sounds easy, it’s actually one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do.
“I’m not used to sitting still at the best of times, but if you move about it just ends up taking longer and longer. Andrew’s concentration is visible and the work he puts in is really shown up in the end product.
“I’m in magnificent company with Andrew having already produced works on sporting legends like Carwyn James and Sir Alex Ferguson. The whole experience has made me feel pretty special.
“Andrew has been inspiring the rest of the team as well with his painting taking pride of place in our new ‘home’ dressing room. I’ve taken him into camp to meet all the boys and the coaches.”
Vicari, who lives in Monaco and is best known for his massive oil paintings depicting the first Gulf War that were sold to the Saudi government for £150m, has a long association with Welsh rugby and the Millennium Stadium in particular.
“The Millennium Stadium invited me to paint on the dressing room wall a few years ago to try to break the supposed curse that existed. That was the old ‘away’ dressing room which I’m delighted has now become the ‘lucky’ new home of the Wales rugby team,” said Vicari.
“I’ve painted and drawn great rugby players before – Terry Davies, Clem Thomas, Cliff Morgan and Carwyn James – and I’d have to say that Shane is right up there with the best of them. He is a truly magnificent player who is fast turning into one of the legends of our game.
“It’s been a pleasure to work with him. I’m producing a ‘Triptych’, the central image of which is the portrait I’m currently working on.
“On either side of that will be an image of Shane sprinting for the try line and also a representation of one of his famous dives for a touchdown.”
Williams is now just one try away from equalling Gareth Thomas’s all time try record for Wales (40). He is in the middle of a hot run of scoring form with 10 in his last eight Tests.
With four tries in three games in the current RBS Six Nations Championship he has taken his Welsh Six Nations record to 13 tries, although the only thing on his mind at the moment is thinking about getting selected for the Triple Crown decider in Dublin next week.
“There’s nothing better than scoring tries and I see that as my job in the team. I suppose if I was a soccer player, I’d be a striker – scoring is my role,” he added.
“But I’m not thinking about the next try at the moment. I just want to work hard in training and make sure Warren wants me on that plane to Ireland first – and also on the pitch when we get there.”
