Rugby World Cup: Wales call up New Zealand naval officer Kate Williams
- Published
Kate Williams: New Zealand naval officer 'overwhelmed' by Wales World Cup call
Rugby World Cup quarter final: New Zealand v Wales |
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Venue: Northland Events Centre, Whangarei Date: Saturday, 29 October Kick-off: 07:30 BST |
Coverage: Live BBC Radio Wales Extra commentary on BBC Sport website & app plus live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app |
Wales have called up New Zealand naval officer Kate Williams to their Rugby World Cup squad.
Swansea-born Williams comes in for flanker Alisha Butchers, who has returned home after suffering a serious knee injury against Scotland.
Williams, 22, could earn her first cap against the country she grew up in as Wales play the Black Ferns in the quarter-final on Saturday.
"It is unbelievable, I am super overwhelmed," said Williams.
She came on to the radar of Wales' coaches around the time of the Six Nations this year after family and friends alerted them to her connections and sent clips of her in action.
Williams was then invited to Wales for three weeks in July to take part in pre-season training, where she impressed head coach Ioan Cunningham.
"He said we will keep you on our books for when we come to New Zealand and it just so happened they were down a flanker and called me in," Williams told BBC Sport Wales.
"My whole family were born in Wales. It's where all my grandparents are - we are Welsh through and through.
"My dad thinks it is unbelievable. They are all so stoked.
"The environment is different to how it was in July, I've come into the thick of the tournament, so everyone is really switched on, but they have all been super welcoming."
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Williams has played a high level of rugby in New Zealand, captaining the North Harbour side in the Farah Palmer Cup in 2020 and 2021, and recently represented New Zealand in the Defence Rugby World Cup.
She has also played for Blues Women.
Cunningham names his squad for Saturday's quarter-final on Thursday, and Williams admits it would be "amazing" to make the matchday 23.
"It is what I have dreamed of, it means so much more being named in a team for the country that I am from," she said.
"Even though I am living out here and grew up as a little New Zealand kid, I have always felt really strong connections to my Welsh heritage and it would be unbelievable."
Williams is a warfare officer for the New Zealand Navy, piloting ships, but she plans to move back to Wales next year to pursue her rugby career.
"Work has been really good and said I can have a year unpaid so I am going to see what I can do up in the UK and try and follow my dream of just playing rugby, I love it," she said.
Cunningham is pleased to have Williams involved and said she is "100 per cent" part of Wales' long-term plans.
"It is great to grow depth in the team and she is someone who we will definitely be looking at in the future," he said.
"She has been great, she settled in well in July, so it's just picking that back up. As soon as she came in, everyone gave her a warm welcome.
"She has been very good and we are pleased to have her around."
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