DRAGONS boss Dean Ryan has challenged Rhodri Williams to hit new heights to end his eight-year spell in the international wilderness after the scrum-half signed a contract extension.
The Amman Valley star, who turns 29 next month, has signed a fresh two-year deal at Rodney Parade after becoming mainstay since his 2018 arrival from Bristol.
The scrum-half has made 74 appearances, 54 of them starts, and his exploits have earned a pair of Wales call-ups.
Williams - a former pupil of Amman Valley Comprehensive School - was named in the squad for the summer Tests against Canada and Argentina last year only to withdraw because of a shoulder issue that needed an operation.
He was overlooked for the autumn and initially the Six Nations before being called up to provide cover for the finale against Italy.
Wales avoided any late injury drama so the Dragons man wasn’t given a last-gasp call-up for a fourth cap.
Williams made his Wales debut against Tonga in the 2013 autumn campaign, then faced Australia and made his Six Nation bow with a try-scoring outing as a replacement against Scotland in 2014.
Wayne Pivac has settled on the trio of Gareth Davies, Tomos Williams and Kieran Hardy with Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan challenging his man to up his game to make the next step.
“Rhodri has had those experiences of going into Wales camp but it's not an accident that he has not stayed in the squad or got a place in the team,” said Ryan.
“He has to use the regional game to grow the areas that are useful in the international environment.
“He has had a taste of it and needs to challenge himself over the next couple of years to get himself in the mix.”
The Dragons have confirmed five signings – Ospreys loosehead Rhodri Jones, Ulster hooker Bradley Roberts, Exeter lock Sean Lonsdale, Clermont fly-half JJ Hanrahan and Bath centre Max Clark – for next season and are getting their options at 9 sorted.
Williams has signed, Argentina international Gonzalo Bertranou is poised to stay in the build-up to the World Cup and Lewis Jones is also set to earn a deal after arriving from Cardiff this season, initially on loan.
“It's important that we are building towards something,” said Ryan. “There is going to be change around the club and it's important that we identify people that are going forward.
“Rhodri has been in the middle of that from captaining the side to being first choice to fighting it out with Gonzalo and Lewis Jones.
“He is a great human being and the type of person that you want to build a squad around, so we are delighted that he is coming with us on the journey.”
Williams and Bertranou have enjoyed a duel for the 9 jersey since the livewire Puma arrived at the end of last season.
“We have competition at 9 - I include Lewis in that as well - and that is important to drive standards,” said Ryan.
“There have been lots of times where we haven't been able to drive high enough standards due to the lack of competition for places.
“People get stale, they lose form and we haven't had alternatives. Scrum-half is not one of those positions and all three are capable of driving each other on to higher standards.”
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