All Blacks star TJ Perenara believes Owen Williams should have won more more caps for Wales.
Williams, who announced a move to Worcester Warriors this week, has struggled for caps due to availability and injuries, making just three appearances for his country.
And his current half-back partner at Japanese outfit NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, New Zealand international Perenara, cannot believe that Williams hasn't played more at Test level.
“We got into a discussion over lunch at training about our international careers and when he said he’s only played three games for Wales I was really shocked because of how good a player he is for us,” Perenara told Dai Sport.
“His knowledge of the game, how he sees the game and what he was doing for the Red Hurricanes in and around training you’d think he was a 50-Test player.
“He’s spoken about his injuries, and he’s had a few big injuries which have held him back. There are also some really good players in his position in Wales, too.
“He’s a player who could quite easily be a 50-Test player and it’s been a real pleasure to have played with him.”
Williams' move to Worcester means that his Test exile won't end anytime soon, with the 29-year-old well short of the 60 caps required to play outside of Wales and still be eligible for selection.
He had previously expressed a desire to pull the red jersey on again, having not played for Wales since 2017.
Since those three caps four years ago, injuries have blighted him - costing him a fourth cap last year under Wayne Pivac.
The odds of another cap now look slim as he heads back to England, but Perenara remains full of praise for the former Scarlets playmaker.
“I’ve been very impressed by Owen," added Perenara.
"His attention to detail, his professionalism, the way he sees the game I think is something I’ve really learnt and taken a lot from.
“We often dissect our games together and preview other teams together. Just to get his perspective.
“He sees some things I don’t see, and we get a lot of things the same, but he will see a certain move a certain way that I thought differently of. He then makes me think of things a different way.
“He’s a real student of the game. I love his professionalism, the way he prepares himself week in week out, so it’s been a pleasure to be in the same team as him and I think he’s a tremendous player.”
