- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
While it’s highly likely Sonny Bill Williams will get his first run-on start in the All Blacks XV to face the Springboks next week, he’ll be secretly seething his contribution thus far has been in lots of 15-20 minutes.
The rampaging second-rower come second five-eight finished the Super Rugby season well ahead of Ma’a Nonu in the No. 12 jersey stakes, having performed with distinction throughout a remarkable Canterbury crusade.
Sonny Bill’s freakish physical attributes coupled with a slick/superior skills-set make him a dead-set starter in any man’s team, except Graham Henry’s.
The reasons are obvious and not of Sonny Bill’s doing.
Granted, Ma’a Nonu had a shambolic Super-season under Hurricanes virgin coach Mark Hammett. His test-match arsenal is nonetheless, tried and proven. This means Ma’a possesses a vast bank of experience that will not return ‘insufficient funds’ when large withdrawals are required on the Rugby World Cup stage.
Add to that Nonu’s longstanding, subliminal centre-pairing with Conrad Smith, which is a strength the very best SBW cannot compete with. Again, it’s an asset developed on the anvil of time that numbers 30 tests, a running record for an All Black 12 and 13.
So it’s no surprise then, based on three run-on starts, that Ma’a has re-established himself as the leading No. 12 in Coach Henry’s book. Conversely, Sonny Bill’s limited opportunities have been spent trying to find his place, space and rhythm under urgency – a near impossible task.
Therefore providing Ma’a remains fit and functional, Sonny Bill’s buttocks will for the most part be assigned to the All Blacks bench.
But for now, I sincerely hope the big man is granted starting rights against the Boks, and expect him to come out with all guns blazing if he is.
Particularly in the knowledge that he’s already steamrolled the best of SA’s Super Rugby talent this season. Even to the point of being branding “bad for rugby” by their lippy coach, Peter de Villiers.
The indirect benefit for Coach Henry is in Sonny Bill’s lingering presence keeping the dread-locked warrior honest. Not that Ma’a isn’t though, in this sizzling All Blacks environment.
And should Sonny Bill’s RWC contribution be made primarily from the bench, as much as he’ll hate it, he’s the kind of unique talent that has the power to inflict 40-minutes worth of damage in half the time.
Ah yes. What a blessed bench.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.