All Blacks legend praises ‘significant impact’ of Springboks ‘talent’

Legendary All Blacks outside back Jeff Wilson has sung the praises of Springboks scrum-half Grant Williams after he made a fine contribution in the Boks win in Johannesburg last week.

The Springboks and All Blacks are set to go head-to-head again in Cape Town on Saturday after the Boks clinched a 31-27 triumph over their arch rivals in the corresponding fixture at Ellis Park.

This, after New Zealand dominated for long periods and held a 27-17 deep into the second half and were well set to clinch the victory before losing their way in the game’s closing stages.

Scored the match-winning try

Williams came on as a second half replacement for the Boks and crossed for what proved to be the match-winning try for the world champions in the 74th minute.

And his impact off the bench was not lost on Wilson, who identified the 28-year-old as one of the Boks’ best performers on the day.

“I want to highlight Grant Williams because I think he was significant, the impact,” he said on The Breakdown. “Only two back reserves, and that hurt them for a little bit because they lost one of their wingers (Kurt-Lee Arendse to concussion).

All Blacks great pinpoints crucial areas which proved costly against the Springboks

“But he (Williams) did a lot of things around the ruck that I wish maybe we did a little bit more of, which is just taking a couple of steps here and putting forwards into holes.

“We tend to get our guys just catching and then trying to carry.

“And then this was obviously a match-winning try and gives them the opportunity to go out and win.

‘You’ve got real creativity’

“But I just think as much as we talked about the Bomb Squad and we think there was no Faf de Klerk in this game, I think when you’ve got young men at 10 (Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu), 15 (Aphelele Fassi) and at nine (Williams), you’ve got real creativity that is going to be hard for us to hold.

“And if they get more experience, more confidence, bring on seven days.”

When asked if Williams’ impressive cameo off the bench will earn him a promotion to the starting line-up, Wilson said: “Do you think that they might start him? I don’t think so. I think he covers multiple (positions). I think he can play on the wing as well.

“I think he’s got that ability. But I think it was really good, really nice to see that sort of talent.”

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