Scott Williams’ return to form has come at the right time for his region and country, according to Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac.
Williams was a major contributor to the Scarlets’ impressive 28-11 victory over Sale on Saturday night as the region shook off their poor Pro12 start to record an opening victory in the European Champions Cup.
The Wales centre had begun the week with a toe injury and Pivac believes Williams’s durability as well as his talent will benefit Wales over the forthcoming autumn Test series
Pivac said: “Scott was in a moon boot for the first half of the week and so I thought he played pretty well.
“The medical team managed him really well and for him to go 80 minutes was very impressive. We got him out on the park and he delivered.
“I thought he and Jonathan (Davies) combined very well and it augurs well for Wales going forward.
“You would expect to see Jamie Roberts and Scott in the squad selection (on Tuesday), along with Jonathan, and whichever way they go with selection it will be a strong pairing.”
The Sharks were beaten by first-half tries from Scarlets scrum-half Gareth Davies and winger DTH van der Merwe.
Van der Merwe’s second touchdown after 57 minutes ended the contest, with Scarlets fly-half Rhys Patchell adding three penalties and two conversions to underpin a comfortable win ahead of next Saturday’s daunting assignment against Pool 3 favourites Saracens in north London.
The Scarlets’ victory, though, ended their losing sequence in Europe after they lost all six of their pool matches last season.
Pivac admitted: “I am very pleased to get the result, it was important to us after last year.
“We were looking to get the bonus point at the end, but we are satisfied with the win, especially with the way we got it.
“It was an improved performance on what we have shown in the Pro12 – we knew we had to step up.
“The area where we have got to make sure we are more clinical is when we get penalties and go to the corner; we have to nail the line-outs. We overthrew on one and on another we gave away a free-kick, we also failed to find touch with a penalty.
“Next week we may only get two or three opportunities in the game, against a class side like Saracens we are going to have to take the opportunities that arise.”
Pivac watched Saracens see off three-times winners Toulon in the South of France earlier in the day, with the English champions emerging triumphant from an epic heavyweight contest 31-23.
“It is a very, very tough pool,” he added.
“We had a bit of a look at the Toulon-Saracens game and we know both those sides are going to be another proposition again, another step up.
“We have got to keep building and take confidence out of that performance against Sale and make sure we go in well prepared and throw the kitchen sink at Saracens. We know how good they are because they are the champions.”
Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond admitted his side allowed the Scarlets to get away from them.
“The Scarlets were the best side on the night, in the first half we had that kick charged down and through our indiscipline they were able to build up a handsome lead,” he said.
“I thought we were unlucky with the two yellow cards, to be honest; the ref had a good game, but that is the way the game is going.
“Overall, we have no complaints, Scarlets were the better side on the night.”
