Wales lock Williams back in Cardiff colours

Cardiff lock Teddy Williams is looking forward to his Arms Park league return almost exactly a year after sustaining a serious foot injury.

Williams, 25, suffered the issue during the United Rugby Championship (URC) win against Connacht in October 2025 and it forced him out for the rest of the past domestic season.

The Wales second row made his competitive Cardiff comeback in the opening 21-15 victory against Scarlets.

After featuring in a home pre-season defeat to Exeter, Williams lines up against Zebre on Friday night in Cardiff (19:45 BST).

"It's been a while, so it's great to be back," said Williams.

"Hopefully I've put that all behind me and am looking ahead to this season.

"I am pleased to be back playing and hopefully I can string a good run of games together."

Williams landed awkwardly on his right leg after claiming a line-out in the 32nd minute of the 14-8 win against Connacht.

He was given oxygen and received lengthy treatment before being stretchered away by the medical staff and taken to hospital.

"I think I landed on someone's foot and unfortunately these things happen," said Williams.

"Immediately with the adrenaline and the heat at the moment, I felt it was a bit odd and then it didn't feel too bad.

"Then you look down and my foot was sort of pointed the wrong way, so I probably knew then it was quite serious.

"It felt like if it got put back into place it might be all right, but there's always going to be more damage."

Cardiff medics admitted it was an unusual injury to recover from.

"I've had a few injuries in my time now, but with my other ones, they were much more straightforward," said Williams.

"This was probably where they hadn't been many players who'd had that sort of injury.

"It was an unusual one to try and get back and there was a lot of unknowns.

"I saw a few other players last year injured with a similar mechanism but not quite as serious."

A long road to recovery followed.

"It was a serious injury and there were lot of challenges in that time," said Williams.

"There was many days spent in that gym in the Arms Park and there was a lot of hard work as well behind the scenes.

"It was frustrating. It was tough watching because you want to be out there helping."

Williams did not feature again for Cardiff in the 2025-26 season but made his return for Wales in the summer's uncapped win against Barbarians.

He then featured as a replacement in the 35-21 Nations Championship defeat against Argentina in San Juan before starting in the 43-0 loss to South Africa in Durban.

"It was brilliant for me to get back to playing some rugby, especially at that level.

"They were tough games especially playing the Springboks out there."

Williams starred for Cardiff against Scarlets with an industrious display that included his ball-carrying ability.

"That's probably always been my strength, my work on the ball," said Williams.

"It is about how many times I can do that in a game and hopefully that will have some positive impacts as a team.

"I've got a lot more to give so hopefully we can see the best of me this season."

Williams is also hoping to help Cardiff improve on their sixth-place finish of the previous campaign.

"We want to build on that," said Williams.

"We've got a settled team now that feels like it's been together now for probably three years, so we're quite cohesive.

"Having experienced reaching the play-offs next year, that hunger's definitely there to probably try and go one better."

Cardiff have made four personnel changes to the side that beat Scarlets with hooker Dafydd Hughes and James Botham brought in for captain Liam Belcher and flanker Dan Thomas in changes that are based on selection not injury. Lock Josh McNally will lead the side.

Corniel van Zyl’s side do have fitness concerns in the back three, with Mason Grady and Cameron Winnett ruled out as Harri Millard and Tom Bowen are named on the wings.

Teenage hooker Tom Howe is set to make his senior Cardiff debut from the replacements bench, while Evan Lloyd will cover the back row.

Cardiff: Beetham; Millard, Malan, B Thomas, Bowen; Sheedy, Mulder; Sio, D Hughes, Sebastian, McNally (capt), T Williams, Mann, Botham, Basham.

Replacements: Howe, Barratt, S Wainwright, Thornton, E Lloyd, Bevan, J Evans, Emanuel.

Zebre: Montemauri; Belloni, Bertaccini, Mazza (capt), Gesi; Allan, Dominguez; Pisani, Minervino, Castellano, Canali, Krumov, Ruffolo, Locatelli, Ruggeri

Replacements: Quattrini, Pelliccioli, Barbotti, Ortombina, Ferrari, Guana, Zanon, Da Re

Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARFU)

Assistant referees: Ben Connor (WRU), Lucas Yendle (WRU)

TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU).