[3] By 1888, Williams was playing for Swansea, and on 4 February he earns his first international cap when he is selected for the team to face Scotland, as part of the Home Nations Championship.
[4] Under the captaincy of Tom Clapp, Williams came into a very inexperienced pack to face a team that Wales had yet to beat in a rugby international.
Wales won an historic match, beating Scotland for the first time, thanks to a debut try from Thomas Pryce-Jenkins, who was at the time playing club rugby for London Welsh.
Played away from home at Lansdowne Road, Wales were beaten by Ireland two goals to nil.
The Māoris had already been beaten by Llanelli and Wales, and on 24 December, they faced Swansea in a match played in continuous heavy rain.