BBC WALES SPORT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2008
Venue: The Swalec Stadium, Cardiff
Date: Sunday, 7 December Transmission: 2100 GMT
Coverage: BBC Two Wales and Radio Wales
In 2008, Shane Williams proved beyond all reasonable doubt that good things do come in small packages.  | Williams' nomination for the 2008 BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year award is proof that beautiful is not always big |
The 5ft 7in Welsh rugby superstar won international rugby's greatest personal accolade after the newly-crowned IRB World Player of the Year inspired Wales to the Grand Slam. Williams' stunning performances and clinical finishing were the driving force behind Wales' second Six Nations clean sweep in four seasons. The 31-year-old winger's six tries won him the RBS Six Nations player of the tournament gong as Williams scored decisive tries in four of Wales' five tournament wins. His score in the Six Nations decider against France was the 41st Test try of his career and beat Gareth Thomas in Wales' all-time try-scoring list. Williams continued his sensational Six Nations performances on Wales' summer tour to South Africa. He scored in both Tests against the world champions, leaving previous IRB Player of the Year winner Bryan Habana flat on his back in the first Test before bamboozling five Springboks to score in the Second Test in Pretoria. | 606: DEBATE |
Even Wales' assistant coach Shaun Edwards said: "Thank God Shane plays for us and not the opposition." And Edwards isn't someone who bestows compliments lightly but 14 tries in 11 internationals before Wales' autumn Tests is proof that he is world rugby's most exciting and lethal finisher. Williams' reward was to become the first Welshman to win the prestigious IRB Player of the Year trophy to stand alongside fellow great winners Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Jonny Wilkinson and Habana. Williams could not transform his international heroics to the Ospreys as Welsh rugby's standard bearers were knocked out of the Heineken Cup at the quarter-final stage by Saracens. But Williams was part of the victorious Ospreys team that beat Leicester Tigers at Twickenham to win the EDF Energy Cup. His 2008 BBC Wales Sports personality of the year award was proof that beautiful is not always big.
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