Gloucester provide 'more positive than negative' Tomos Williams update

Encouraging news for Welsh rugby has been thin on the ground after their unbeaten run was extended to 12 matches with the loss to South Africa on Saturday, but one reason for Warren Gatland to smile is that scrum-half Tomos Williams does not need a shoulder operation and will be fit for the Six Nations.

Williams, who is putting a strong claim forward for a British and Irish Lions tour place to Australia next year, injured his shoulder in the loss to Fiji and had to sit out the rest of the Autumn Nations Series, which left Gatland fighting to hold onto his head coach role.

Williams is now back with Gloucester undergoing rehabilitation after confirmation that the injury does not need surgery, which means he could be back in a month’s time. George Skivington, the Gloucester director of rugby, said: “There was no dislocation but the shoulder was given a good rattle.

“We cannot give an exact game when Tomos will be back but he hasn’t needed an operation and he is pretty positive although he is not training at the moment. I hope that we are talking about weeks or a month rather than anything more than that. It is more positive than negative but not as quick as I would like.

“There are a few bits (in the shoulder) that need to heal and strengthen up. It wasn’t as bad as it was originally reported.”

Gareth Anscombe, the Wales outside-half, did not feature against the Springboks but Skivington confirmed the No 10 was available for the trip to Northampton this weekend, the first time Gloucester have returned to the scene of their humbling 90-0 loss to Saints, who scored 14 tries on their way to the title last season.

Gloucester currently stand one place above Northampton in sixth in the table and two points ahead and Skivington, who chose a weakened side last May in the build-up to the club’s European Challenge Cup final loss to the Sharks, admits it is a loss that he “will never forget” while confirming he will take his strongest available side this time.