By Graham Thomas
Keiran Williams has admitted it could be an emotional Judgement Day for the Ospreys on Saturday as he and his teammates brace themselves for a number of departures.
The centre will go up against fellow new Wales squad colleague Mason Grady as the Ospreys attempt to beat Cardiff with a bonus point to pip their great rivals to the Welsh Shield and a place in the Heineken Champions Cup next season.
But it could well prove a bitter-sweet occasion with the long-term futures of stars such as Alun Wyn Jones, Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Webb, Dan Lydiate, Nicky Smith and Scott Baldwin still up in the air and Stephen Myler, Joe Hawkins and Ethan Roots all confirmed to be moving on.
๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ข๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ค
Ospreys Centre Keiran Williams has signed a new contract โ๏ธ#OurJourneyTogether pic.twitter.com/s3tDaUUkTT
— Ospreys (@ospreys) April 20, 2023
Williams โ who joined Jac Morgan and Morgan Morris in signing a new deal with his region this week, much to their relief โ admits the wheel is turning in Swansea, but is demanding that standards still have to improve.
โItโs happened in the past and itโs a fact that we lose people every season,โ says the centre who will line-up at the Principality Stadium for a derby that is live on S4C.
โIt makes things difficult, but we have to go out and play our best even though we know that players are moving on.
โHopefully, we can do those players justice, make them proud, and make this game against Cardiff one to remember.
โPersonally, I think we still have to do better than we have done in the last season or two. We have to get things right with the squad we put together.
โWe didnโt start the season well, but I still think we are the best of the four regions. Hopefully, when the game is over we can point to the table and it will show that.โ
Centre Keiran Williams will continue to play for Ospreys in 2023-24 after signing a contract extension ๐#BBCRugby
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) April 20, 2023
Williams was attracting interest from English and French clubs after a season in which he broke into Warren Gatlandโs Wales squad for the Six Nations for the first time.
But the 26-year-old insists his decision to extend his time at the region was a straightforward one.
โIโm a home-grown boy from the area and so once I had the deal over the line then it was almost an easy decision to make.
โI recognise that we are going into a challenging time for all four regions, but I donโt see why things canโt improve and I want to be part of that because I have an affiliation with the Ospreys.โ
๐ Mason Grady is determined to finish the season strongly with Cardiff, after returning from his first Guinness Six Nations campaign with Wales.
— Cardiff Rugby (@Cardiff_Rugby) March 23, 2023
Williams will partner namesake Owen Williams in an attack-minded Ospreys line-up that includes George North and Luke Morgan on the wings and sees the long-awaited first start for Anscombe at outside-half after his recent injury problems.
They will face a Cardiff side who will take the Heineken Champions Cup spot if they pick up a single bonus point.
It should mean a fascinating battle in the back lines between Williams and Grady โ although not the direct confrontation most had anticipated.
๐ตโซ๏ธ Y TรM | LINE UP
๐ @ospreys ๐ฆ
๐ @URCOfficial
๐๏ธ @principalitysta
๐ Saturday, April 22 (KO 5.15pm)
๐บ @ViaplaySportsUK | @S4CRygbiRey Lee-Lo is back for Judgement Day! ๐ช pic.twitter.com/ixTcBU3HX0
— Cardiff Rugby (@Cardiff_Rugby) April 21, 2023
Centre Grady, who was capped for the first time in the Six Nations, has been moved to the right wing in the absence of injured Josh Adams, with Rey Lee-Lo instead at outside centre.
โIt will be good to play against Mason and the other Cardiff boys and then afterwards and the season is over, hopefully we can share a beer,โ adds Williams.
โHopefully, we will be the team that has qualified for the Heineken Cup as itโs a hugely important thing for us to be in that tournament.
โIt was a tournament I always watched as a youngster and Iโve loved having the chance to play in it.
โWe were disappointed we couldnโt beat Saracens, but the wins against Leicester and Montpellier provided some of the highlights of our season, so itโs a tournament we definitely want to be in again next season.โ
S4C: Saturday โ 5.00pm: Clwb Rygbi
Ospreys v Cardiff
Live coverage of the URC Judgement Day match from the Principality Stadium, Cardiff.
And here's the graphic for those of you who love 2D media ๐ pic.twitter.com/bKVQMpV6my
— Ospreys (@ospreys) April 21, 2023