Shortly after retiring, he enlisted in World War I, and was wounded in the Battle of the Somme, dying in France on 12 July 1916.

Several players had departed, leaving gaps in the backline, and Williams was brought in, alongside Cliff Pritchard and W. Isaacs, while the effective pairing of Lloyd and Lou Phillips at halfback continued.

Nevertheless, his contributions were noted: against Moseley, despite an early error, he scored a try in the first quarter "after a grand run", and at the beginning of the second half, managed to touch down a second try, just before Yates "grassed him".

So, when the touring team from South Africa travelled to Swansea, and Billy Trew was unavailable due to injury, Williams earned his first cap for Wales on 1 December 1906.

Williams "justified his selection" but was not reckoned to be in the same class as Morgan, who was shifted to the right wing from his usual position on the left, and under-utilised there.

[12] A month later, on 1 January 1907, Cardiff played hosts to the South Africans and beat the visitors 17–0 in front of 30,000 spectators.

Williams' first touch of the ball was erratic, failing to hold on to a catch in the initial stages, when he had a clear run to the tryline.

At half time, Cardiff was leading by 11 points, already the largest score against the South Africans in any of the tour matches.

[13] The contemporary rugby journalist E. H. D. Sewell commented that the try he scored "against the South Africans for Cardiff will never be forgotten by those that witnessed it.

"[6] Williams was then confirmed to play against England at Swansea on 12 January in a team much changed from that which was beaten by South Africa the previous month.

[15] The London Express commented that neither he nor Maddock on the other wing, had much merit, but were selected for a lack of choice, the whole team being unexceptional.

[16] Welsh spectators, expecting defeat at the hands of the English, stayed away from the game, and only 5,000 turned out, a record low for international rugby in Wales.

But the headline in the 'Pink Edition' of the Evening Express read "St George Routed", as Wales beat England 22–0.

An early try-scoring opportunity was lost when Gabe was tackled and unable to make the pass to Williams, who was in the clear.

[22] The David–Bush halfback pairing, and the Gabe–Williams partnership on the left wing, supported by the excellent play of Winfield at fullback, and that of the forwards, were the decisive factors in the Welsh triumph over Ireland.

The club faced Australia on 28 December 1908, and handed the tourists the biggest defeat of their tour, 24–8, Williams providing two tries.

[31] After the England game, which Wales lost, it was rumoured that Williams would be recalled to the wing for the match against Scotland,[32] but his injury persisted.

[33] The Welsh defeated Scotland, and it was expected that they would field unchanged team for the final game of the tournament, against Ireland at Lansdowne Road on 12 March.

Once again the Welsh backline was filled with Cardiff men: Bush, Spiller, Dyke, Gibbs, who took on the captain's duties, and Williams.

"Forward" writing in the Evening Express said: "Williams was right on top of his form, and his cleverness in beating three or four Irishmen, including the fullback, before he scored his three tries was really splendid.

[36] Williams was part of three Welsh Triple Crown winning sides, lost only two matches and scored 17 tries in his 17 games.