Shane Williams will win his final Wales cap against Australia

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Shane Williams
Image caption,

Williams toured with the British Lions in 2005 and 2009

Warren Gatland has confirmed Wales' record try-scorer Shane Williams will start in his final Test match against Australia in Cardiff on 3 December.

The 34-year-old wing has confirmed the Millennium Stadium showdown , externalwill be his final international appearance.

Gatland will name his 26-man squad for the game on Sunday but has already revealed Williams will start the match.

"Shane is playing well at the moment and we want him to start against the Wallabies," the Wales coach said.

Williams has scored a record 57 tries in 86 appearances since making his international debut as a replacement against France in 2000.

The Ospreys wing had been due to retire after the recent World Cup in New Zealand but decided to prolong his international career so he could go out in style in Cardiff.

But Gatland said he would resist any temptation to try to persuade Williams to return to the international scene in the future.

"He has been a magnificent servant, not just to Welsh rugby, but to the world game and fans who believe he deserves a magnificent send-off will not be disappointed," said Gatland.

"Shane is still playing very well and you never say never as a coach.

"But if this was the first game of the Six Nations we would be selecting players who we know will be around for the next World Cup and he would not be in that category."

Wales will be seeking revenge against an Australia side who beat them 21-18, external in the World Cup third place play-off match last month.

"This game is important to us, it will help us put the disappointment of those final two matches in the World Cup behind us and can be a springboard to our 2012 Six Nations campaign," added Gatland.

"We will name a 26-man squad this weekend which will largely contain everyone in that World Cup squad who is available to us."

Perpignan fly-half James Hook will miss the Cardiff match while Bayonne scrum-half Mike Phillips, external could also be absent.

There are also doubts over the availability of Clermont Auvergne full-back Lee Byrne as well as prop Craig Mitchell, back-rower Andy Powell and scrum-half Dwayne Peel, who play in England.

Non-Welsh clubs do not have to release their players for games outside the International Rugby Board window, unless individual contracts allow.

In addition there are injury doubts over Leigh Halfpenny (ankle), lock Luke Charteris (wrist) and flankers Dan Lydiate (ankle) and Justin Tipuric (ankle).

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