Shane Williams tries to contain his emotions during the national anthem
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Writing in the Western Mail, Andy Howell looks at whether Shane Williams' retirement will herald in a new dawn for Welsh rugby.
"If anyone didn’t know it already, Shane Williams’ last act in a Wales shirt underlined just what a gaping hole he will be leaving in Warren Gatland’s side.
It would be wrong to call it a fairytale ending, because Wales lost to Australia, lacking intensity and drive and giving plenty of food for thought to Gatland following the plaudits his team rightly received during the World Cup.
But how typical of our 34-year-old wing wizard, who had hardly had a sniff of the ball up to that point, to have the final word with his last-minute try.
Coming into the centre to try to make something happen, he collected Scott Williams’ pass, went outside Berrick Barnes, made mincemeat of Anthony Fainga’a and took his Wales record try tally to 58 in 87 appearances.
Records are there to be broken, but it is going to be some time before anyone gets remotely near that landmark Shane has set."
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