The 27-year-old Cardiff flanker was this week appointed captain of Steve Hansen's Wales side as the Dragons go in search of a first win of the Championship campaign.

And if the side achieves that at the Stade de France on Saturday, Wales will avoid the dreaded wooden spoon and at the same time complete a hat-trick of wins on French soil for the first time in 46 years.

Williams played in the 43-35 victory over the French two years ago and remembers well the 34-33 success on Paris soil two years before that.

So, to get the chance to leads Wales in their pursuit for a record breaking victory over last season's champions, is a real honour for the former Pontypridd open-side flanker.

"I enjoyed leading the side in Scotland, but I understood that when Humph (Jonathan Humphreys) returned for the Ireland game, I would lose the armband. However, when Steve asked me to lead the team again this week, I was over the moon.

"It is every schoolboy's dream to play for Wales, but to play and captain your country is something special again."

Williams has been the outstanding member of the Welsh pack this season - despite the disappointment of finishing on the losing side on four successive occasions.

He was man of the match in Rome, excelled against England, led with real authority in Edinburgh and capped another outstanding all-round display against Ireland with a rare but very welcome try.

"It has been a difficult season for all of us. Of course, I have been quite pleased with my own performances, but on a team front we are all desperately disappointed not to have a point on the board going into the last game," he said.

"If we can put that right this weekend, I think it would lift the nation. Perhaps it would give us a break from the criticism that has come our way in recent times."