He was once described as a twiglet with the power of a tornado.
Despite his comparatively lightweight build, Liam Williams has never shied away from the physical side of rugby.
Now former Ireland forward Sean O’Brien has offered an insight into what the 30-year-old Wales international brings to a team aside from his skill, exuberance and sense of adventure.
“I remember in the last game I played against Wales, they did a short line-out off the tail,” the Lions Test back rower said during a House of Rugby podcast with Sam Warburton and host Lee McKenzie.
“Rather than try to run around me, Liam Williams ran straight at me.
“I swear to god, it was like running into a brick wall.
“He absolutely dazzled me.
“I was, like, what am I hitting here?
“He’s one of the toughest players in rugby – fact.
“And he’s all bone as well.
“He actually ran over the top of me, and I was holding his legs and, like, what’s hitting me here?”
Many of Williams' opponents over the years will nod knowingly, for his slight appearance has long been deceptive.
Scarlets’ development boss Kevin George once told a story of how Williams had opened eyes on an early appearance in a semi-professional environment after stepping up from Waunarlwydd.
“Our then head of rugby Anthony Buchanan had been to watch Waunarlwydd playing in the Tovali Cup and came back saying this kid was the best player on the field," George told WalesOnline.
“Liam was a youth player then playing for Waunarlwydd seniors.
“We invited him down but were a bit reluctant to put him on the pitch early doors, because he looked as if he might break.
“But we played up in Pontypridd and one of their guys was going for the corner. Liam just absolutely put him in the stand — cut him in half and he went sideways.
“He had this determination about him and a power that belied his frame.”
To his detractors, some of whom occasionally show themselves on social media, Williams can be headstrong at times.
But to his squad-mates he is usually seen as someone whose name on a team-sheet is to be welcomed — a good sort to have on your side in the trenches.
Rewind to Wales’ tour of Japan in 2013 after a gang of home players started pushing Lloyd Williams around during the early stages of the second Test, with four of them looking to march the scrum-half backwards.
Some of the tourists’ young forwards were slow to respond, with Stuart Davies noting in TV commentary that “the Welsh cavalry were perhaps a little bit late to arrive”.
But Williams did go to Williams’ aid.
Those who have long known him would have expected nothing less.
Rare is the hit that he pulls out of, too.
Speaking alongside O’Brien, Warburton said: “Tackling’s a mindset. If you want to get someone down you have to be brave, coupled with having good technique.
“Liam Williams is one of the bravest players out there — no regard for his body.
"He’d take you on Sean, and you’d probably have three stone on him.
“He doesn’t care.
“Because he has that mindset, he can get away with being 85kg to 90kg or whatever he might be playing against a regular 110kg bloke.”
Warburton also acclaimed the breakdown work of both Williams and Josh Adams, calling them, “the most fierce back-three players I’ve seen in the sense of kick-chase and they fly into rucks and compete on the ball.
“These are the things you need.”
