Owen Williams: Leicester Tigers fly-half eyes first Wales cap

Owen Williams joined Leicester Tigers from Scarlets ahead of the 2013-14 season

Leicester Tigers fly-half Owen Williams hopes his club form can help him win a first senior Wales cap.

The 23-year-old will be the first Welshman to feature in this season's Champions Cup when Tigers face Stade Francais on Friday.

His World Cup hopes were wrecked by injury but he could be in with a chance of replacing Rhys Priestland in the next Wales squad.

"Any young Welshman wants to play for his country," Williams said.

"For me it's just about keeping my head down at the moment with Leicester, play well in big games and hopefully, fingers crossed, things like that will come along.

"I'm just concentrating on my club at the moment. I'm only four games back from a long-term injury so it's just building, getting confidence back and playing well for me."

Williams missed the second half of the 2014-15 season after surgery on a knee ligament injury he suffered against Cardiff Blues in February.

The former Scarlets player had been linked with a return to Wales before signing a new contract with the Tigers in January.

He was not considered by Wales for the 2015 Six Nations, with coach Warren Gatland opting for Dan Biggar, Rhys Priestland and Gareth Anscombe.

Biggar was Wales' first choice at the World Cup while Priestland will take an 18-month break from playing for Wales to concentrate on his club career at Bath.

Leicester's director of rugby Richard Cockerill says he will encourage Williams' international ambitions.

"If Owen's on form and deserves his opportunity, I hope he gets it," Cockerill said.

"He's a good young Welsh player and he wants to play for Wales.

"I want Owen to reach his ambition, which for him is to play for his country."