By Peter Ryan – @PeterRyanSports
Throughout the history of Welsh rugby, many memorable scrum-halves have taken the field in the famous red jersey.
Gareth Edwards, Mike Phillips, and Gareth Davies have all carved out quality and exceptional careers for themselves with the number nine on their backs.
Nowadays, Tomos Williams is a shining light in an abysmal time for rugby in Wales.
The Gloucester scrum-half has been playing some tremendous rugby over the past two seasons and is the clear choice for Warren Gatland when it comes to his scrum-half selection.
Ellis Bevan and Rhodri Williams have recently made the bench.
However, there is a certain Ospreys scrum-half who has done more than enough to prove he deserves a crack on the international stage and should have been in the Six Nations squad.
The Career of Reuben Morgan-Williams
Coming from the excellent rugby town of Neath, Morgan-Williams has always been passionate about the national sport.
At eight, he enrolled at Neath Athletic RFC and advanced through the ranks to the under-16 level. Then, like many other promising talents, he was selected for the Ospreys Academy, marking the beginning of his professional development.
Like many sensational talents before him, Morgan-Williams graced the iconic pitch at the Gnoll to wear the famous black jersey of Neath RFC.
The 27-year-old was involved in the National Centre at under-20s level and was eventually integrated into the Ospreys first team.
He hasn’t looked back since.
Throughout his time with the Swansea-based club, he has played alongside some phenomenal players like Rhys Webb and James Hook, who would have significantly contributed to his development.
Hook, in particular, greatly impacted his career, as he was one of the scrum-half’s rugby heroes growing up.
Morgan-Williams has been a crucial part of the Ospreys for many years and helped them secure a play-off position last season.
Even though it was a rough start to this year’s campaign, the side looks rejuvenated under new head coach Mark Jones.
Morgan-Williams will look to grow alongside his team and be ready to make an impact whenever his international call-up comes.
A Player Coming into His Own
At the age of 27, Morgan-Williams has the perfect blend of skill and experience, with a substantial amount of time to keep developing as a player.
He has performed tremendously this year and has enjoyed great success at the prestigious Brewery Field.
The scrum-half has performed brilliantly against the DHL Stormers and Edinburgh in Bridgend, playing a crucial role in the draw against Cardiff at the Arms Park.
Morgan-Williams has a versatile skill set and is recognised for his agility and quick decision-making on the field.
He expanded his abilities by taking part in the World Rugby Sevens Series for Wales, and those skills translate well to the 15-a-side game.
There was a lot of talk when Kieran Hardy moved from the Scarlets to the Ospreys, with concerns that Morgan-Williams wouldn’t get the same number of starting minutes as in previous years.
However, he has remained the primary starter for his club. It is important to note that Hardy is coming off a nasty injury, but given Morgan-Williams’ form, you wouldn’t want to put him on the bench right now.
It begs the question—why hasn’t he been on Wales’ radar yet?
Wales’ Scrum-Half Situation
As stated before, Tomos Williams is playing some of the best rugby of his life right now, and there is no doubt he is the best Welsh scrum-half.
However, looking behind him in the rankings, Warren Gatland has favoured Cardiff’s Bevan and Rhodri Williams to come off the bench.
Even though both players can have a tremendous impact on their day, Morgan-Williams is the most in-form number nine besides Tomos Williams.
He is getting more minutes regularly than Bevan, who often comes off the bench for Aled Davies, and has made more of an impression than Rhodri Williams over the past couple of months.
From a statistical point of view, Morgan-Williams has produced 179 metres off 43 carries, and his kicking game is on point, with 72 kicks in play and 1,561 kicking metres gained.
It makes you wonder what else he needs to do to get a chance on the international stage. An opportunity may arise in the summer when Wales head to Japan while the British and Irish Lions tour takes place.
Tomos Williams has been heavily tipped to be on that plane to Australia. This means a spot at scrum-half will need to be filled, so why not give Morgan-Williams a shot?
Morgan-Williams is a sensational talent with much to offer any team he joins. It will be interesting to see whether he gets an opportunity with Wales and what impression he can make for his country.
