RHYS WILLIAMS faces a race against time as he attempts to prove his fitness ahead of the announcement of the Australia squad for this summer’s World Cup.

Having played through the pain barrier in recent weeks, Williams will be rested as Middlesbrough play their final game of the season at Leicester City this weekend.

The 21-year-old has been nursing a pelvic problem for the majority of the campaign, but the injury has intensified in the past month, casting a doubt over his involvement in the finals in South Africa.

Members of Australia’s medical staff will discuss Williams’ fitness with representatives from Middlesbrough’s physiotherapy department in the next fortnight.

The Perth-born midfielder has won three full caps since switching his allegiance from Wales last summer, and Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek is keen to include him in a provisional squad that will play a series of warm-up games before flying into South Africa.

However, Verbeek will not consider Williams for selection if his injury concerns are unlikely to have cleared up completely ahead of Australia’s opening group game against Germany on June 13.

“Our medical staff have to get together with Australia’s medical staff and say, ‘This is the condition he’s in’ and then decide what happens,”

confirmed Boro boss Gordon Strachan.

“There’s no limit to what he can achieve in the future, so we have to protect a really good player. He’s been getting better towards the end of games when he realises the pain won’t be there much longer.”

Williams’ emergence has been one of the few highlights of an otherwise forgettable campaign on Teesside, but his namesake, Luke, provided another last weekend.

The 16-year-old enjoyed a successful debut as Boro drew 1-1 with Coventry, and is likely to be involved again at the Walkers Stadium in three days time.

Understandably, Middlesbrough’s players and management are keen to avoid piling too much pressure on the South Bank-based teenager, but team-mate Barry Robson was nevertheless impressed with his impact in his first senior outing.

“I thought young Luke did exceptionally well,” said Robson. “He was really positive, took on his man, got in a few good crosses and had a couple of shots. For a 16-yearold kid, I thought he was really good.

“As a side, we were pretty patched up and that shows we need to add to the squad, but the manager knows that.”

■ BORO fans have until next week to bid for a place in a Riverside charity game on FA Cup final day.

A team managed by Boro boss Gordon Strachan will take on opponents led by academy supremos Dave Parnaby and Mark Proctor in a 90-minute, 11- a-side game on the evening of Saturday, May 15.

The places in the two sides will go to the highest bidders before 10pm on Thursday, May 6.

The proceeds of the game will be split between the proposed reconstruction of the National School for Arts and Trades in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which was destroyed by January’s earthquake, and the Middlesbrough Diocesan Youth Mission Team being set up by one of the game’s organisers, Catholic priest Father Paul Farrer.

Charity players will change in the Riverside dressing rooms, have a pre-match team-talk from Strachan or Proctor and Parnaby, and run on to the pitch to Boro’s Pigbag theme tune.

Teams and goalscorers will be announced over the stadium PA system and there will be team sheets. The players will wear and keep shirts sporting their names.

Anyone interested in playing should email a bid of at least £150 to charitymatch@holyname andstthomasmore.org.uk Bidders should put the position in which they would like to play in the title of their email. They will be emailed back to let them know if they are the highest bidder, or if they need to increase their bid.