martyn williams and the difference between 99 and 100

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/14977930.stm

will williams ever get a 100th cap now?

it seemed a strange decision to leave him out of the 6n squad. stranger even to leave him out of the rwc squad. maybe martyn will rue turning down that place on the newzealand tour.

williams has done so much in rugby and he will be remembered as a great of the game. this could be a carrer ending injury. it might be the difference between 99 and 100

Sometimes 99 is better than 100. Don Bradman's test cricket average of 99 is more memorable because it's 99 than it would be at 100 for instance. There's only one game difference so in the end I don't think it will change how Martyn is remembered as an international player.

Yeah, it more fun to say neneneneninety nine than saying h h h h hundred.

I'm sure Martyn would be the first to say that he'd prefer to get to 100 on merit rather than as a token gesture to make him a centurian as a thankyou for all of the years of service. And 'on merit' is the way it should be too, IMO.

I very much doubt he ill play for Wales again, even if he had been selected I guess this would have been his swansong.

He will still be remebered as great and one less cap won't diminish that.

Australia test in the Autumn for a send off?

Scoi, this is what I mean. Unless we've got no players at all to fill the 7 jersey for that game then he will get picked to do a job. But, Gatland will be looking at that Autumn game as a chance to blood someone and develop them. Now, if the regions play hard ball and say you can't have our players but you can have Martyn (maybe Warburtonw ill be needed for a club game) then he could play. But I don't think they'll play him just as a 'swansong'. Gatland will be looking to the future, not the past.

I heard today that tickets are on sale for that game at £70 a pop, just before Xmas great marketing of the WRU.

If they used that game to give him his 100th cap and a send off then his last game would be infront of a half full stadium, not a fitting send off for a legend.

bedfordwelsh wrote:
If they used that game to give him his 100th cap and a send off then his last game would be infront of a half full stadium, not a fitting send off for a legend.

true

biltongbek wrote:Yeah, it more fun to say neneneneninety nine than saying h h h h hundred.

maybe he will call it a day. at his age (a bit younger than me) it will take a good while for that bone to heal. he might feel it is time to retire from all rugby.

having seen him in interview he would make a good tv pundit, ( better than that lumpo vickery )

scoi wrote:Australia test in the Autumn for a send off?

What I was going to say, it will be the farewell for Shane Williams, Stephen Jones, Martyn Williams and a few others.

AlynDavies wrote:

scoi wrote:Australia test in the Autumn for a send off?

What I was going to say, it will be the farewell for Shane Williams, Stephen Jones, Martyn Williams and a few others.

Don't think it's going to be the end of Stephen Jones mate. He'll be in the squad for at least another season.

Are tickets really going for £70? Are they that desperate to fill the quota of four games that, due to the (relatively) poor attendance at the warm ups, they've decided to absolutely shaft anyone who wants to see them post WC? Ridiculous. A bit of reality is in order; the MS is not another notch on the Ascot/Wimbledon sporting tour as Twickenham is for some. This is one of the few countries in the world where it is a game played and supported en masse by...the masses. They're abusing this ardent support by putting the bottom line first (eh...?). 70 quid for what is a friendly, and probably missing a few of the Aussie stars as they join their new clubs in Europe, is disgusting.

i think that he will be in that wales squad v aus as will shane as a send off to them all?

however fair point griff looking forward i think if it was MJ or kidney then they would play if it was ML well who knows...

Also, with a broken arm, how likely is it he will either be fit or match fit for the Australia game?

he could make a cameo for last 30 seconds like tipuric did against the argies?

surely one arm for 3o second he can do the job?

scoi wrote:Australia test in the Autumn for a send off?

if he is fit it would be appropriate.

Some kind of stupid Wales 15 vs Barabrians cap would be more likely and less insulting to players who deserve to play in the Australia test on merit and who Wales need to start bringing through

No room for sentiment in professional sport. He shouldn't play for Wales again unless he's the best 7 available. I'm sure Williams wouldn't want his 100th cap any other way.

Mils Muliaina may be in the same situation soon...