CARDIFF — Wales are heavily reliant on Tomos Williams ahead of next year's World Cup in Australia, with few players more secure of a starting spot than the 31-year-old scrum-half. The 2025 British and Irish Lions tourist, who was Prem player of the season for 2024-25 and swapped Gloucester for Saracens in the summer, has become central to Steve Tandy's plans as Wales count down 12 or 13 fixtures to their 2027 World Cup opener against Zimbabwe in Adelaide on 2 October.
Williams has started every Test he has been available for since Tandy took the reins in the summer of 2025, missing only last November's defeat by South Africa and June's win in the uncapped game against the Barbarians outside World Rugby's international window. He has played past the hour in every outing under Tandy, playing the full 80 minutes in Wales' wins against Japan and Fiji in 2025-26 and coming off with just two minutes left against Italy. The former Cardiff scrum-half played 378 minutes in the 2026 Six Nations, with 10 of those on the sidelines due to a yellow card against Ireland, more than France's Antoine Dupont on 357, Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park on 323 and Scotland's Ben White on 302.
The gulf to his rivals is stark. Williams has shared matchday squads with just two scrum-halves under Tandy — Ospreys pair Kieran Hardy and Reuben Morgan-Williams — with Hardy making five brief appearances off the bench and Morgan-Williams three after both started against South Africa and the Barbarians when Williams was unavailable. Hardy now faces a lengthy lay-off after suffering a knee injury against Dragons earlier this month, which could open the door for Morgan-Williams as Tandy prepares to name his Nations Championship squad on Tuesday. Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said of Morgan-Williams last season: "He's a real competitor and has got a real appetite on both sides of the ball. He injects speed into the game. What I like about him is his personality. He's just straight-talking, no messing around."
Tandy must find a third specialist before the World Cup, a tournament where Warren Gatland initially took only two scrum-halves in 2023 — Williams and Gareth Davies — before adding Hardy for injured number eight Taulupe Faletau ahead of the quarter-final defeat by Argentina. Dragons scrum-half Che Hope, 23, was touted as a possible summer tourist until a hamstring injury last February and has returned this season to share starts with Rhodri Williams, who won the last of his nine caps in the 2025 Six Nations. Dragons defence coach Dale MacLeod urged caution despite Hope's promise, saying: "Che is quick, exciting and can turn nothing into something. He is a great support runner and is starting to become a much better defensive player," adding: "He is growing his game nicely and with all younger boys coming through you need to have a blend by giving opportunities without throwing them in the deep end."
Another option is Gareth Davies, who retired from Test rugby in 2024 with 77 Wales caps, a Grand Slam and a Six Nations title, plus two Lions tours and appearances at the 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cups. Still going strong for Scarlets, where he made 11 appearances in 2025-26 and started against Newcastle last Saturday, he has adapted to an impact role. "He struggled with it for the first couple of years because he is such a competitor and wants to start," admitted Scarlets director of rugby Nigel Davies. "He is mellowing into that role where he can come on and make an impact." Former team-mate Jonathan Davies said on the Scrum V podcast: "He has always been one of the most fiercely-competitive animals in the rugby environment. He looks after himself and is a great pro. He can definitely still do it," though Davies will be 37 at the World Cup. Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel also highlighted Dane Blacker, who has started all three United Rugby Championship games so far, saying: "He's a player who wants to play the game quickly and he's been very, very good for us. I'm really happy with the way he's gone about his business. He's one who could definitely push if you want to play that quick, expansive game."