All Black coach Graham Henry’s challenge to Sonny Bill Williams

The Sharks are just going to love the timing of All Black coach Graham Henry’s challenge to Sonny Bill Williams to show more physicality in his game if he wants to start at the World Cup, starting with his performance for the Crusaders at Twickenham on Sunday

The 25-year-old sensation has so far offloaded in the tackle more than any other player in this year’s Super competition, many of them clever try-making, slip passes, but Henry has asked him to now work on another side of his game – using his heavyweight boxer’s physique to get his team over the advantage line.

That is just what opposite number Meyer Bosman wanted to hear … not to mention the players either side of him on Sunday, Stefan Terblanche and Jacques-Louis Potgieter.

At six foot three (1.91m) and weighing in at 110kgs of muscle (not a shred of fat in sight) Williams is so far unbeaten in his “other” sport, boxing, and he has an upcoming fight when the Crusaders have their bye (the one fight a season clause was worked into his contract when he joined the Crusaders from French club Toulon). Getting physical clearly will not be a problem.

“Yeah, I heard what he (Henry) said,” Williams told Christchurch newspaper The Press. “I think I will have to run about 50 times a game to please him,” Williams said after his team had trained in London.

“Seriously, though. If you want to get higher honours you have to listen to the powers that be and there is no bloke that is more powerful in New Zealand rugby than Graham Henry,” he said.

“So I will definitely been trying to take it to the line a lot more and hopefully do what I am told.”

Williams is an Aucklander of Samoan descent but after school chose a Rugby league career in Australia with the Bulldogs in Sydney. In 2008 he went back to rugby union when Toulon offered him a massive contract. Last year he returned home to New Zealand, citing a desire to play for the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup after having turned down the biggest offer in rugby history. Toulon reportedly offered him a new three-year deal worth six million NZ dollars while the New Zealand Rugby Union could offer him only 550 000 NZ dollars per year.

Williams made his debut for the All Blacks in their match against England at Twickenham last November to become only the second Kiwi in history to represent his country at both Rugby League and Union, the last player to have done so being in 1921.

On Sunday Williams will feature in a Crusaders team showing just one change from the side that put 40 points past the Highlanders on their home ground last week, with Zac Guildford coming in for Adam Whitelock on the left wing.

The Sharks last night left Durban for London under no illusions as to the magnitude of the challenge ahead of them in what remains to be there final tour match.

The tour assessment so far is a mixed bag as far as coach John Plumtree is concerned.

“We are obviously disappointed with the way it ended in Hamilton against the Chiefs after doing so well in Australia, picking up 10 points there. Our intensity was really high against the Rebels and Force, but it dropped off in Hamilton which is a big disappointment. The third week on tour has been a real issue for us in the past and it continues to be – it’s something we’ll have to address in the future.

“But I have to say that 11 from 15 points isn’t a bad effort and there is still a tour finale to go. We’re pleased to have had the opportunity to spend some unexpected time at home and the boys are really excited about this game. It’s a case of ‘bring it on’ really.”

by Mike Greenaway www.iol.co.za