Scott Williams is close to a comeback from the hamstring injury that put him out of the Wales squad for the autumn Tests.
But in the meantime the Ospreys centre is busying himself with his other sporting love – rallying, as owner of the Scott Williams Motorsport fleet.
Williams has not played since early September when he limped off during his region’s victory over the Cheetahs.
The injury meant he was overlooked for Warren Gatland’s squad for the November internationals as it was feared he could need eight weeks of recovery time.
But after finishing in 16th place at the Fairfield Merlin Stages Rally at Pembrey, in an Escort Mk2, Williams revealed the comeback could happen a lot sooner.
“I’ve been out of rugby for about six weeks now, but hopefully I’ll be back playing in the next week or so,” said Williams.
“It’s a long season and I’m using my head a little bit with the hamstring injury, because it can be a real pain if it reoccurs. I just want to make sure that it’s one hundred per cent before I return to the field.”
Away from the demands of professional rugby, Williams has a motorsport business building fabricated rally cars.
His brother-in-law, Barry Jones, is a rally driver and it is another sport that 28-year-old Williams might devote himself to entirely once his rugby career is over.
His latest car was built by his own team in a single week and the accomplished rally driver and was inch perfect around the Welsh Motorsports Centre, putting on a spectacular display in the powerful red left-hand drive machine.
Co-driven by his wife Tanya, Williams mastered the slippery early morning conditions, pressed on hard during a dry afternoon and made sure of a great result in the damp and drizzle of the fifth and final stage.
“I’m chuffed to have got through the event and reached the finish with no problems whatsoever, in a car that the boys only took a week to build for me,” said Williams.
“Pembrey can be quite a tricky place, tight in places with a lot of chicanes, but we didn’t push too hard and kept it on the black stuff.
“It was a great event to promote my motorsport business, and it was the first time that my wife has sat in with me too. I think she enjoyed it – we’re still speaking to each other anyway!”
The Ospreys host Connacht in the Guinness Pro14 this Friday night, with possible return dates for Williams being their game against Glasgow on November 2, or the visit to Leinster on November 23.
