Williams and Holmes released by Wales

Liam Williams will feature for the Scarlets this weekend as the full-back steps up his fitness bid for Wales’ Six Nations clash with Scotland. Wales have released Williams for Scarlets’ Friday night PRO14 trip to Benetton, with the 29-year-old still shaking off a long-term ankle injury.

British and Irish Lions star Williams missed Wales’ World Cup semi-final loss to South Africa in October 2019 after suffering the ankle problem in training and has only played once since.

Now though, the former Saracens man will have a chance to prove his fitness ahead of the rearranged Six Nations encounter with Scotland at the Principality Stadium on October 31.

Dragons winger Jonah Holmes has also been released for regional action this weekend as Wales boss Wayne Pivac looks to keep his squad fresh.

“Liam Williams (Scarlets) and Jonah Holmes (Dragons) have been released from the national squad back to their respective regions for action this weekend,” read a Wales statement. “They will re-join the national squad on Monday.”

Pivac had last week been forced to rejig the 37-man Wales squad announced a fortnight after injuries precluded Ken Owens and Josh MacLeod from taking a sufficient enough part in training.

Pivac named his squad on October 6 – a group that included seven uncapped players – for the upcoming autumn campaign which commences with a friendly versus France in Paris this Saturday. However, the New Zealander was last week forced to tinker with his selection.

A statement from the WRU at the time read: “Ken Owens (shoulder) and Josh Macleod (hamstring) have both been released from the Wales squad due to respective injuries which preclude them from taking a significant part in training. Elliot Dee (Dragons) and James Davies (Scarlets) have been called into the squad.”