Saracens are poised to confirm that Wales and Lions winger Liam Williams is returning to the club after he was granted an early release from his contract with Japanese outfit Kubota Spears.
RugbyPass exclusively revealed on Friday night that Williams had been lined up for a return to the former Premiership champions.
In a boost for beleaguered Wales boss Warren Gatland, he is set to return to the Premiership club as injury cover for Alex Goode, who is set to miss the next ten to 12 weeks after undergoing an operation on a quad injury.
Springbok stalwart Pieter-Steph du Toit speaks about his second World Rugby Player of the Year award
Springbok stalwart Pieter-Steph du Toit speaks about his second World Rugby Player of the Year award
Williams, who scored 21 tries in 31 appearances, helped the club win a couple of Premiership titles and a European Cup title in a successful three-year stint in North London before returning to the Scarlets.
He has been training with Wales during the Autumn Nations Series this month as he recovers from a summer knee operation and prepares for the arrival of his first child with his model wife, Sophie Harries.
Williams’s return to North London will allow them to be within travelling distance of family, and he has thanked Kubota for their understanding of the situation.
“As I prepare to leave Japan to be with my family back home, I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to all of you.
“The decision to leave hasn’t been an easy one, but my wife and I are thrilled to be welcoming our first child soon, and I feel it’s important for me to be back home with my family during this special time.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Frans (Ludeke) and coaches the senior management at the club for being extremely understanding with regard to my family situation and allowing me to return to the UK.
“Your support, passion, and dedication to the game have been truly inspiring, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been welcomed into such a special group,” he said.
Kubota Spears General Manager Hironori Maekawa said: “Liam has requested to leave the team at the end of November in order to prioritise supporting his family as he prepares for the birth of his first child.
“It was not an easy decision for the team, but after much discussion, we have come to the conclusion that family comes first and that our team policy is to ultimately respect his and his family’s decision.
“We would like to thank Liam for his contributions to the team and wish him and his family all the best on their journey ahead.”
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