The Wales scrum-half saw his Lions tour end prematurely following a hamstring injury against the Western Force
The heartbreaking moment Andy Farrell told the Lions players that Tomos Williams’ tour had ended has been released.
The Wales scrum-half turned in a sensational performance during the match against the Western Force, scoring two excellent tries while really staking a claim for that Test 9 shirt. However, during the second of his tries, he immediately popped up from an acrobatic finish in the corner and felt the top of his hamstring, leaving Lions —and Wales— fans fearing the worst.
Unfortunately for the Treorchy product and all on-looking Welsh fans, the bad news was confirmed and the 30-year-old was sent home prematurely.
And in a new video published by the Lions on their YouTube channel, Farrell’s message to the players and their subsequent reaction has been released.
“One of our brothers has got a bit of bad news this morning,” said Farrell, addressing the Lions players the morning after 54-7 win.
“I’m sure you’ve heard about it. Tomos is out of the tour. Ben White is going to be coming in as soon as we can.
“But we are going to send him off in the right fashion with Ieuan (Evans, Lions chair), so make sure everyone is at dinner.”
At dinner that day, former Wales wing Ieuan Evans stood in front of the gathered players and made a presentation for Williams, complete with a framed Lions shirt.
“Tomos Williams, Lion 866, is departing,” said Evans. “All of us here today, we wish you the very best. A speedy and healthy recovery.”
The squad are then seen gathering around Williams, forming a line before hugging him and sending him off with their well wishes.
Unfortunately for the Lions, that wasn’t the only tour-ending injury suffered that week.
Elliot Daly suffered what turned out to be a fractured forearm during the win over the Queensland Reds and the Lions documented a particularly emotional trip to the hospital for the England star.
As Farrell was giving his post-match team talk to the rest of the players, the Saracens utility man was whisked off to hospital to have an X-ray and the result, just like Williams, was as bad as feared.
One of the Lions’ medical team, head of medical Dr Ciaran Cosgrave, is seen pointing at the X-ray image before simply saying: “Fracture.”
Daly is then seen, totally dejected, in the hospital waiting room, having been given the news.
“It’s not great,” Daly said. “I kind of knew already.
“It is what it is. I can’t do anything about it now. But yeah, I am gutted to be honest.
“It’s happened. Not ideal at all, but onwards and upwards.”
