Shane Williams gets it.
Such was the impact of his week-long stint with Glenswilly – as part of AIB GAA’s ‘The Toughest Trade – that Williams vowed to return to the club, and area, again. He found a home away from home.
After scoring 0-4 on his GAA debut in atrocious weather conditions, that night, the Welsh rugby star told a packed clubhouse:
“We really don’t get that as much at home any more – that community and that closeness you have is really unique and I would cherish it because it is a great town and you can see that togetherness here tonight.”
While he may have been taken aback at that sense of community in Donegal, Williams has clearly always been a guy that cherishes sporting traditions and who harks back to a pure form of competing.
What a gent… https://t.co/XnUiESAGO6
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 2, 2017
That would go a long way to explaining why he kept his word to his hometown club Amman United. This weekend, Williams will line out with Amman at the Principality Stadium [formerly known as the Millennium Stadium] in Cardiff to face Caerphilly in the National Bowl final.
Williams had always vowed to make a playing return to his old club side, even wen he was at the height of his playing powers with Ospreys, Wales and the Lions. He fulfilled that promise after his 2014 retirement and lined out for them in last month’s 29-3 semi-final win over Cardigan.
The 40-year-old suffered a hairline fracture to his jaw in that game but has been passed fit for Sunday’s final. The last time Williams played at the 81,000-seater stadium was in 2012 for Wales against the Barbarians.
Such is the home-town nature of affairs, Williams’ brother Dean will play right wing and his brother-in-law Gavin Lewis will start at fullback. Williams will once again don the No.11 jersey.
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