Jay Harris’s spectacular form in the ring during 2019 has won him a world title shot in America next month. The Swansea boxer will face Julio Cesar Martinez for the WBC flyweight title in Frisco, Texas on February 29. Martinez won the belt in December with a ninth round stoppage win over Cristofer Rosales in Phoenix, Arizona, after former champion Charlie Edwards vacated the title.

Liam Williams has chosen to return to the Scarlets next season after being swayed by Wales coach Wayne Pivac. The Wales and Saracens star had been weighing up a £700,000-a-year move to French giants Toulon as the alternative to returning to his former region for £400,000. But after talks with Pivac over what being based in the south of France might mean to his availability for Wales, the 28-year-old has opted for the coastline around Llanelli, rather than the Cote d’Azur.

The Scarlets are closing in on the signing of Wales star Liam Williams but face stiff competition from French giants Toulon. Williams’ contract at crisis-hit Saracens expires at the end of the current season and the 28-year-old has been weighing up his options. The Wales and Lions full-back visited Parc Y Scarlets recently and was impressed with head coach Brad Mooar’s vision for the region.

They once boasted one of the strongest playing rosters in European rugby and were famously labelled the ‘Galacticos’ of Welsh rugby. But the Ospreys’ opening Heineken Champions Cup 32-13 defeat to Munster this weekend – a loss so predictable to many there was some relief that it could have been worse – only underlined the gap they now have to make up. The start of Europe at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday came at the worst possible time for the Ospreys with 18 players unavailable due to a combination of a World Cup rest period and injuries.

Warren Gatland had admitted Wales have suffered a “big loss” from their World Cup campaign after they were forced to rule out Liam Williams. Full-back Williams’ absence has been confirmed from Sunday’s semi-final against South Africa, and then either the final or third and fourth place play-off next week. The Welsh Rugby Union said he suffered an ankle injury sustained in an accidental collision during training.

The World Cup quarter-final is looming, with Wales firm favourites with the bookies to beat a disjointed, and often disorganised France. Robin Davey doesn’t find any reason to disagree and says it all points to north v south in two epic semi-finals. It’s Le Crunch, with Wales just 80 minutes away from securing a place in the last four of the World Cup, and with it, revenge against France who controversially dumped them out of the 2011 tournament. Wales will go in to Sunday’s quarter-final as favourites, having won all four of their pool games – one of only two sides to achieve that with hosts Japan being the other – whereas, France have again looked anything but convincing.

Neil Jenkins wants to extend Warren Gatland’s coaching reign with Wales for three more matches – and one World Cup trophy – before the New Zealander leaves his job after 12 years. Gatland’s time as coach will end on Sunday if the Six Nations champions lose to World Cup quarter-final opponents France in Oita. But Jenkins – who as assistant coach and kicking specialist has been with Gatland every step of the way – wants to prolong the long goodbye to the maximum.

Nicky Smith sent a message to the world – enlightening them to the existence of the Waunarlwydd Massive – but the Wales prop still believes he owes a debt to his village club. The Ospreys prop scored his first try for his country during Sunday’s 35-13 victory over Uruguay as Wales reached the World Cup quarter-finals. Smith then produced a quick rap-style hand gesture as he ran back to his line – a coded shout-out to his mates back in the village near Swansea.

Liam Williams is hoping to strike silver before graduating to gold at the O2 Arena tonight when he takes on the former European middleweight champion Karim Achour. At stake for the 27-year-old Welshman and his French rival will be the WBC silver middleweight crown and a spot in the top five of their rankings. What Williams wants is a shot at the gold standard world title in the not too distant future. “For me it is all about picking up the title and taking another step in the right direction towards the ultimate goal, which is obviously becoming world champion,” said Williams.

Wales’ two-weight British Champion Liam Williams is promising to put on a spectacular show at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night. The Church Village man is bidding to claim the WBC silver middleweight crown against durable Frenchman Karim Achour. And the man they call “The Machine” has pledged to become the first man to stop Achour, who has taken the likes of former world champion David Lamieux the distance in the past.

Liam Williams ended the season on fire for Saracens, accomplishing the kind of record in one campaign that most players don’t manage in an entire career. He makes Robin Davey’s Wales team for the World Cup opener but a big name casualty misses out. Wales’ World Cup opener against Georgia may be over three months away, but already there is a big debate about the line-up of the ‘back three.’ Basically, four into three won’t go – with Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, George North and Josh Adams all bidding for a place in the side. One of them will be unlucky.

Two Welshmen will try and prevent another from making history at Twickenham today (Saturday) when the destiny of the English rugby title is decided. Exeter Chiefs pair Tomas Francis and Alex Cuthbert will try and deny Liam Williams his place in the record books when they face Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership final. If Sarries win and retain their crown, then Williams will be the first Welshman to complete a perfect season of Grand Slam Six Nations winner, Heineken Champions Cup winner and domestic title triumph.