On the face of it, moving from a region to university rugby might seem a step back. But that’s not how Wales U20s star Benji Williams sees it.
The back-five forward has turned down a contract extension with the Ospreys in order to play for Cardiff Met, where he will be studying for the next two years.
He feels BUCS Super Rugby will suit him more than the Welsh Premiership, where he would have likely played primarily if he had stayed with the set-up.
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The Cardiff born-and-bred Williams has been a regular fixture in the Wales U20s set-up this year, making seven appearances for Byron Hayward’s team, packing down at both lock and in his preferred No. 8 berth. As such, he is very much one to watch for the future. Now he has opted to take an unconventional career path.
While on an academy contract at the Ospreys, he was studying at Swansea University. Now he has parted company with the region, he has switched to Cardiff Met to complete his sports management degree and will play his rugby for the Cyncoed college.
“I had the option to carry on with the Ospreys for one more year," he explains. "After my Six Nations campaign, I met up with them to discuss an extension.
“But it just felt like what they offered me was a bit of a step back, both financially and rugby-wise. It wasn’t as good a deal financially as the one I was on and I wouldn’t be allowed to play for the university, which didn’t really suit me as a player.
“If I had stayed on, I would have been playing for Swansea RFC. I had to think about how well I would develop playing in the Welsh Premiership. It made more sense to me to be free from a club and play regular rugby for Cardiff Met.
“If I wasn’t going to stay with the Ospreys, I wasn’t going to stay at Swansea University, so I transferred to the Met to come back home to study.”
The 6ft 4ins, 16st 8lbs Williams says the fact the Cyncoed set-up has become a breeding ground for internationals like Aaron Wainwright and Alex Dombrandt played a significant part in his thinking.
“I have seen so many professionals come from there," he said. "Having been in a regional academy and seeing the programme at Cardiff Met, it’s pretty much the same. It’s professional and it’s a great pathway to succeed.
“In my opinion, I don’t see this as a step back. I see it as doing what’s best for me and I think this will suit me more to develop.
“It’s a good standard of rugby. I think it’s better than the Welsh Premiership in a way. It’s just not as slow. It’s not just carrying and tackling. You play a bit. It’s expansive rugby and that’s the type of player I am. It suits me a lot more.
“I’m quite quick for my size and I like to get around the field. Ideally, I would like to play back row, No. 6 or No. 8. The ambition is still to be a professional rugby player. The plan is to play for Cardiff Met and then hopefully pick up a deal from there.”
Hailing from Caerau, Williams started out at Glamorgan Wanderers RFC before switching to Cowbridge RFC when he moved to Cowbridge Comprehensive, for whom he played in the Welsh Cup U16s final. Having been part of the Cardiff Blues pathway, he then went to study at Hartpury College, which saw him link up with the Gloucester academy before he joined the Ospreys in 2020.
The 20-year-old Williams, who also played for Wales at U18s level, is out of action at the moment following shoulder surgery, but hopes to return to action in November.
“I tore the labrum in my shoulder against Scotland in the Six Nations and had been strapping it up since then. Then when I was playing against Georgia out in Italy in June it went completely, so I had to have it stitched up. I’m in rehab now and just really looking forward to getting out there again.”
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