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Elsom questions Williams move

Tuesday 29th July 2008

Warning: Elsom thinks Williams needs to play at number eight

Wallaby flanker Rocky Elsom believes Sonny Bill Williams' switch from Rugby League to Union is one riddled with risks.

Elsom, who will miss the second Bledisloe Cup clash this weekend through injury, feels Williams will be better suited to the forwards in the XV-a-side code.

Having played together for the Bulldogs junior team in League Elsom has raised his concerns about Williams' much publicised move to France.

"It's a bit of a risk because obviously he's going to play reasonably well because he's a good player, but it's whether or not he gets those higher skills that they are going to need there," Elsom told The Australian.

"Particularly Toulon, they are a club that has a lot of attention and they are going to need him to be pretty effective pretty quickly.

"They probably don't have the same roster of big names as a lot of the top teams in that Top 14. It's going to be tough, but there's no doubt he will be a reasonable standard soon as he gets going."

It is expected Williams will start at outside centre for Toulon, coached by former All Black legend Tana Umaga, but Elsom feels his best position would be at number eight.

"They are going to want him to play well straight away. It's going to take a bit longer to get into the groove as a forward," Elsom said.

"I just think his style as a loose forward, that's where he will probably be the best.

"You look at Andy Farrell (English league convert) going over and his effectiveness was limited at times just because of the fact he was in the back-line and working as a back, whereas if he was going in the forwards he would have been more effective.

"He (Williams) looks like a number eight. I'd say he's got the skill and he's a strong ball carrier.

"There's no doubt he will be talented it's just whether or not those skills are sharp enough to be a dominant player in that French league which is what they expect of him."

Elsom did not believe Williams was getting ahead of himself by setting his sights on playing for the All Blacks.

"You've got to have a goal don't you, but you'd have to play very well to pick him from France because they (New Zealand) don't do it at the moment," Elsom added.

Elsom's teammate Stirling Mortlock was not so sure on where Williams would be best deployed.

"History has proved that it takes a while to get up to speed to play union, particularly if you are a forward or if you are a forward going into the backs as well. Either way there's a lot of work before I'd think he'll go that well," Mortlock commented.