The All Blacks will take small steps with Sonny Bill Williams in his second coming as a Test rugby player.
Williams was rushed straight back into the world champions’ season-ending tour squad but coach Steve Hansen is anxious that expectations of the 29-year-old dual international are tempered.
The All Blacks starting inside centre for the first five Tests of 2012 before leaving for Japanese club rugby and a two-year stint in the NRL, Williams must prove himself again if he is to reach that status, Hansen said.
Williams made two NPC reserves bench appearances for Counties Manukau this month, soon after ending his stint at the Sydney Roosters.
The bench is likely to be the start point again when he adds to his 19 caps.
“At this stage I wouldn’t anticipate we’d want him to play 80 minutes in his first match,” Hansen said.
“We want to get him back into playing rugby, get him back into understanding what we’re trying to do. To limit the number of positions he has to learn at this point would be sensible.”
Inside centre will be the primary focus for Williams but Hansen says outside centre and wing could be options again further down the track.
He started at outside centre in his Test debut against England at Twickenham in November 2010 and played three games on the wing during New Zealand’s World Cup triumph the following year.
Williams returns to a competitive midfield landscape, with rookie Malakai Fekitoa having performed strongly in the No.12 jersey alongside veteran centre Conrad Smith in the absence of an injured Ma’a Nonu.
Tourist Ryan Crotty is also adept in both midfield positions.
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