Scott Williams: WRU withdraws deal offer as regions 'up the ante'

Scott Williams has played 34 times for Wales, scoring nine tries

The Welsh Rugby Union have withdrawn an offer of a dual contract for Scarlets centre Scott Williams.

WRU Chairman Gareth Davies confirmed the move was made after regions had "upped the ante" over the Wales international's contract.

At least one other Welsh region has shown an interest in Williams, whose current contract ends next summer.

"It's over to the regions really to try and hopefully keep Scott Williams," Davies told Radio Wales Sport.

"The central contract from the union has been withdrawn after some of the regions started upping the ante, as it were."

The union's offer would have kept the player at the Scarlets.

Dual contracts are funded 60% by the WRU and 40% by the region, and Davies' comments suggest the regions are offering bigger deals than the one they put on the table.

It also hints that the WRU are not prepared to get involved in an auction of escalating bids.

However, it appears that the player will stay in Wales, but with a region paying his contract in full.

That situation would not upset the governing body, who set up the dual contracts to stop players moving abroad.

"It's difficult because we can't centrally contract everybody because of the funding issues - some players will be, some won't be," added Davies.

"But the important thing is that between the union and the regions that we work together to ensure that we can retain as many of the top stars as possible, and the youngsters coming through as well."