The 40-year-old Williams, Wales record try scorer, has made himself available to play for unbeaten Amman United in the Bowl semi-final against Cardigan at Lampeter. He is hoping a cameo appearance off the bench might help to propel his home village into the final.
He made his first senior appearance as a scrum half for the club in 1997 and has appeared once already this season. His last game at the Principality Stadium was on the day he scored his 58th try for Wales and won the last of his 87 caps in 2011 against Australia.
“We’re not too worried about Shane Williams, it is more the rest of the Amman team. They’ve had a great season and will be full of confidence having gone through the season so far unbeaten,” said Cardigan secretary Hefin Harris.
“It would be a tremendous achievement for Cardigan if we could reach the final in what is our 140th anniversary season. We’ve got four coach loads of supporters following the team to Lampeter and it promises to be a great day out.”
But missing the big day will be centre Emyr Harris, who is getting married and who has been told in no uncertain terms by the future Mrs Harris that he cannot have a few hours off to play, and Hefin Harris. The club secretary will be in Denmark with his wife, who booked a surprise weekend away for them earlier in the season.
“We thought about asking Emyr if he could play, but nobody had the courage to ask his wife-to-be. And I couldn’t persuade my wife to change our trip away, so both Emyr and I will miss the semi-final,” said Hefin.
“But we did manage to get two of our forwards, Dean Harries and Llyr Griffiths, to agree to play in the game and go to the wedding party only in the night. We’ve had a good run this season after just missing out on promotion last year.”
Cardigan played in the Heineken Leagues in the nineties and Harris believes if they could make it all the way to the Principality Stadium it would help to convince people “that rugby in south Wales doesn’t end in Swansea or Llanelli”.
Cardigan are second in Division 3A West, six points behind St Clear’s with two games in hand, and have only lost one game in the league and cup and drawn another. They are also into the semi-finals of the Pembrokeshire Cup.
“Colin Horscroft came in as coach two years ago and he has transformed the team. Things were at a bit of a low before he started, but he has done a great job with the players,” added Harris.
Amman United knocked-out reigning champions Burry Port in the quarter-finals and have won all 14 league games this season to lead Division 3B West by nine points. They had a bye in the first round of the Bowl and a walk/over in Round 2.
Caerphilly and Cilfynydd will meet at Taffs Well in the other semi-final. The Cheesemen, National Cup finalists in 2004, are third in Division 3A East, four points behind the leaders with two games in hand, and have only been beaten twice this season.
For their part, Cilfynydd have lost only three times in reaching second place in Division 3A East Central.
WRU National Bowl
Caerphilly v Cilfynydd – Maes Gwyn, Taffs Well (2.30pm kick-off)
Cardigan v Amman United – Memorial Playing Fields, Lampeter (2.30pm kick-off)
Cardigan: John Lumb; Rhydian Jenkins, Marcus Castle, Jackson Lynch, Alun Wilson; Llyr Jones, Arwyn Wilson; Tomos Evans, Bedwyr Davies, Richard Jones, Dean Harries, Dylan Davies, Gethin Jones, Kieran Hurley, Llyr Griffiths
Reps: Ben Hughes, Aled Phillips, Dan Evans, Rob Connelly, Colin Davies, Gareth Clifford, Sion Hughes, Iestyn Crompton
HOW THEY REACHED THE SEMI-FINALS
Amman United
Rd1: Bye; Rd 2: Amman United w/o v Llandeilo; Rd3: Amman United 22, Hartridge 5; Rd4: St Alban’s 5, Amman United 39; Rd5: Amman United 18, Monmouth 7; QF: Amman United 13, Burry Port 3
Caerphilly
Rd 1: Caerphilly 48, Llandaff North 7; Rd 2: Caerphilly w/o v Whitchurch; Rd 3: Caerphilly 33, Markham 11; Rd4: Oakdale 5, Caerphilly 8; Rd5: Caerphilly 51, Wattstown 3; QF: Caerphilly 41, Taffs Well 14
Cardigan
Rd1: Cardigan 90, St David’s 7; Rd2: Cardigan 45, Laugharne 29; Rd3: Cardigan 10, Usk 7 (a.e.t); Rd4: Betws 8, Cardigan 13; Rd5: Cardigan 23, Denbigh 7; QF: Cardigan 16, Milford Haven 6
Cilfynydd
Rd1: Bye; Rd2: Uni of South Wales 17, Cilfynydd 40; Rd3: Cilfynydd 25, Porthcawl 19; Rd4: Cilfynydd 27, Machen 7; Rd5: Cambrian Welfare 15, Cilfynydd 18; QF: Swansea Uplands 5, Cilfynydd 32
