Wales great Shane Williams set for Japan move

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Firstly, Mitsubishi Dynaboars is an awesome name. Secondly, I look forward to hearing about Williams' 12th retirement in about a year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18385023

Wales' record international try-scorer Shane Williams is set to do a U-turn on his rugby retirement and play for a Japanese side next season.

The 35-year-old former Ospreys wing is expected to sign for the Mitsubishi Dynaboars in Division Two of the Japanese League on a one year deal.

Williams scored twice in his final competitive game as Ospreys won the Pro12 league final by beating Leinster .

Williams' final UK appearance was in Barbarians' loss to Wales last week.

Williams announced his retirement from rugby in February after he turned down Ospreys' offer to extend his playing career with the Welsh region to a 10th season.

The 2008 International Rugby Board player of the year quit Test rugby in December, with 58 tries in 87 games for his country and two in four Tests for the British and Irish Lions.

Williams signed off from the international stage in typical fashion, scoring a last-gasp try in the 18-24 defeat to Australia in Cardiff on 3 December.

The double-Grand Slam winner was also Ospreys' record try-scorer, with 57 touch downs in 141 matches, and scored late on in his last game for both club and country.

Williams was expected to continue his association with the Ospreys next season by taking up an ambassadorial role with the Liberty Stadium club but it is unclear if he will still undertake that role.

[TRF_Olyy]

They mentioned this after the Barbarians game and he specifically said he wasn't going to go to Japan and that was it - seems he may have changed his mind

£600k is a fair amount as well!

[Teh Mite]

I bet someone nominates him for a Lions callup.

[TRF_Cymro]

This was in the rugby paper last week. I doubt he will go.

[big ginger 8]

A division two? Club he'd rip shit up seeing how good he still is.

[Hinato]

That's the big scoop balanced by the Welsh sports newspapers. Shane Williams, the star of Welsh rugby, today international retirement, could end his playing career in Sagamihara Dynaboars. The club, which evolves Is in League A (second division Japanese), hit a home run with the arrival of one of the greatest players the world over the last decade. Club Sagamihara, third last season in the same league, had narrowly failed to qualify for Tops Challenges. The green and black, who aim to climb in Top League, would be very well armed to fight in the league A Is for 1st place, facing Kubota Spears Top league club history, which has hired this offseason including flyhalf Kurt Morath Tongan and second-line New Zealand Mont-de-Marsan, Hoani Matenga. For now, Sagamihara Dynaboars has recruited seven players including the pillar Takayuki Kitagawa (WildKnights Panasonic), the pillar International Chinese Wang Sibo (Kobelco Steelers) and the third line international Korean Hyun Lee (Red Dolphins Hino). Is A league that is more than ever raised this coming season.

[Thingimubob]

Has he actually been signed? Saw him on Jonathan on S4C saying that he wasnt gonna go to Japan, or carry on pro rugby at all, since he wanted to be with his family more. Seems odd him saying that then jetting off to the other side of the world! Definitely can;t see him uprooting his family from the Amman Valley too, especially since he's very recently opened up a gym there.
On the other hand, if he does go, good luck to him, the big paycheck is definitely well deserved!

[TVH11]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18385023

So this has been confirmed by bbc and also on his personal Twitter. Guess the extra money + short season in which he will earn it will come in handy with future investments. Can't blame him, i presume Japan second tier would be the equivalent of Welsh prem or below, so earning silly money at that level is a no brainer!

[TRF_nickdnz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18385023

So this has been confirmed by bbc and also on his personal Twitter. Guess the extra money + short season in which he will earn it will come in handy with future investments. Can't blame him, i presume Japan second tier would be the equivalent of Welsh prem or below, so earning silly money at that level is a no brainer!

So the question is now, how will I watch him now then??? Anyone know when their season starts, and what naughty sites I can catch games on

This is a reputable site and we'd rather links for any of these kinds of illegal online streaming were not shared here!

For those with this information, I implore you not to deliver it on this thread but instead report the websites to an authority immediately or better yet, PM me the link so I can safeguard this information from reaching TVH11. What he may or may not be aware of is these kinds of links may seem harmless but in actuality are 'gateway' links, in which can lead to more nefarious links in the future.

[TRF_Olyy]

Don't think Japanese club games are televised anyhow, so you can't watch them streaming online.

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

[TVH11]

I'm sorry for the question I asked, should have known better seeing I've been on here for a while!!! Very sowy Just I need my fix of our Shane!!! :P The question I should have asked is possibly "Are their any official websites that offer highlights of Japan League games"

I'm sure Scrum V will do a special

[stormer2010]

I'd have loved to see SA players like FdP and Jaque Fury play as well.

Also, the names are generally just ridiculously awesome. It warms my heart that there is a club championship where a team called Vodacom Extra Giraffe wouldn't even raise an eyebow.

[psychic duck]

I'd have loved to see SA players like FdP and Jaque Fury play as well.

Also, the names are generally just ridiculously awesome. It warms my heart that there is a club championship where a team called Vodacom Extra Giraffe wouldn't even raise an eyebow.

you can watch the tries from the highlights on YouTube



here is the video of the final of the Top League, skip to 1:06 and 2:41 and you can see two Jaque Fourie tries, and one by Fourie du Preez at 1:30

you won't be able to watch Shane though, as he has joined a team in the second division, he will be teammates with former England fly half Dave Walder (remember him?) next season

[stormer2010]

you can watch the tries from the highlights on YouTube



here is the video of the final of the Top League, skip to 1:06 and 2:41 and you can see two Jaque Fourie tries, and one by Fourie du Preez at 1:30

you won't be able to watch Shane though, as he has joined a team in the second division, he will be teammates with former England fly half Dave Walder (remember him?) next season

Thanks PD. I'd have +1'd you but it seems like you are the last person I repped so will have to wait a bit LOL.

[TVH11]

Thanks PD, aahhhhh I got very exited then crashed when I saw it was only 1st division.

Fingers crossed for a scrum V season long special - They love Shane, so I presume they will

[psychic duck]

Shane's first try for the Mitsubishi Dynaboars

[TRF_Draggs]

Class.
Still miss Shane; come back, RWC2015!
Greatest wing ever, fact.

[BZHopenside]

He's still not huge in Japan...

[psychic duck]

Another video of Shane scoring for the Mitsubishi Dynaboars, looks like he is finding it quite easy out there.

[Amobokoboko]

Idd, good to see he hasn't lost his touch.

[TRF_Cymro]

Extended his stay for another season ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21625402

[Amobokoboko]

Good stuff

[DuncTheDoodle]

See? He could've made this season with the Ospreys. Instead, we're playing Tom Isaacs in his 11 shirt tomorrow. Never mind.

[ImScotty]

i didn't know that shane williams can kick conversions