Last summer, Tomos Williams suffered a cruel hamstring injury in the act of scoring a try in a warm-up match on the Lions tour of Australia.
It robbed the Gloucester and Wales No 9 of what would have been a deserved Test cap for British rugby’s highest-profile side. Since then, he has been playing in poor teams for both club and country. Back on duty here after his latest fitness issue, this time a shoulder, the Saracens-bound Williams once again showed why he is a scrum-half of the highest order.
It’s an understatement to say this has been a tough season for Gloucester but with Williams returning to their team as captain, they recorded only their third PREM Rugby win this term. In doing so, they put a dent in Exeter’s top-four hopes. Williams, 31, was at the heart of the action. He scored one of his team’s four first-half tries, his passing, attacking intent and creative spark seeing him standout.
Crucially, he also gave his team some much-needed confidence.
The only negative for Gloucester from this bonus-point win is that their poor campaign has meant Williams will be playing his rugby in north London rather than at Kingsholm next season.
Williams was undoubtedly helped by his pack’s impressive physicality and strong scrum. No 8 Will Trenholm stood out alongside Williams, scoring twice, and prop Afo Fasogbon made a big statement of intent at the set-piece. Fasogbon will be in the England mix this summer with injuries to his fellow tightheads Will Stuart and Trevor Davison.
Tomos Williams capped off a brilliant display with a try as Gloucester beat Exeter on Sunday
Fit-again Williams was at the heart of the action as Gloucester recorded a rare win this season
Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington said of Williams: ‘He’s a world-class player.
‘If you give him that platform going forward, that doubles up. If you want to play attacking rugby, Tommy’s your man. It was great to get him back on the pitch.
‘He’s a unique player. You can’t replace him like for like. If we’d done that a bit more this season, things would have been a lot better. It’s been a tough year.
‘That’s the team we know we are and we’d have liked to have put out on the pitch all season.’
Before kick-off, the Kingsholm announcer urged Gloucester’s supporters to look ahead to next season when it is hoped the impact of new performance director Chris Boyd – plus the summer arrivals of two more Wales stars in Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake – will bear fruit. This performance showed there is something for Skivington and Boyd to work with.
Exeter, meanwhile, weren’t at the races – save for their outstanding England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso who missed the Six Nations, but has returned to club duty in prime form.
A day short of a year since they were humiliated 79-17 in this corresponding fixture last season, Chiefs disappointed once again. Gloucester had a bonus point wrapped up before the break through Max Llewellyn’s brace, Williams and Trenholm. Exeter were second best up front, leaving their director of rugby Rob Baxter disappointed.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was the only real plus-point for Exeter as their top-four hopes hit a blip
They did at least go home with two losing bonus points which meant they stay fourth, though Bristol are now just a point behind them in the race for the final play-off spot.
Exeter made Gloucester sweat, a penalty try and a controversial Henry Slade effort after Dian Bleuler’s yellow setting up a grandstand finish. But Williams showed he can close out a game as well as win one at the death as Exeter’s Ethan Roots was red carded. It was fitting that it was Williams who ended the game given he, the powerful Trenholm and Feyi-Waboso had been its leading lights.
Baxter said his team were ‘so off emotionally and physically.’ He added: ‘We didn’t turn up in those areas and Gloucester did.
‘We’re still in the top four. The gap in the first period between where we were and where Gloucester were was pretty big and that’s a concern.’