London Welsh stalwart Terwyn Williams was knocked for six after being honoured for longstanding service to the club at Monday night's Rugby Union Writer's awards.

The retired schoolteacher has been involved at the Old Deer Park club for 45 years, being kitman for both London Welsh and the Welsh Exiles for 27 years.

Williams was presented with a tankard by Wales centre Jamie Roberts, and was in good company at the London bash, which saw All Black World Cup winner Dan Carter in attendance to collect the Pat Marshall Memorial Award in person as the sport's personality of the year for 2015.

"I was knocked for six. I had no inkling whatsoever,” said Williams, who is from Lampeter in south west Wales.

"Dan Carter was on stage announcing some of the award winners and I was applauding and listening, but also whispering to the people next to me.

"Then I suddenly heard Dan say 'the next award is for a guy from Lampeter'.

"I thought, there can't be many people from Lampeter here. Then it dawned on me.

"I was absolutely overwhelmed. The MC had to help me up the stairs on to the stage because I was shaking. I would not have been able to make a speech.

"I've had so many phone calls this morning. It's been amazing.”

Williams' association with the Welsh Exiles - established in 1990 to search for Welsh players, or players of Welsh ancestry, living outside of the homeland - goes back to their very first game against London Irish in 1989.

"The next game they played was at Old Deer Park and they had no stuff at all," he added.

"As I was kitman for London Welsh they asked me if I would turn up on the Sunday and lend them rugby balls, water bottles, tackle shields and so on.

"That's how it all started, and I've done every match since."

Tankards were presented on the night to England women's most capped player Rochelle Clark, Dave Townsend from Cheltenham RFC and Nick Oates of Wetherby RUFC.