All Blacks: Rookie steals limelight from test veterans

The ball is never dead when it's in Sonny Bill Williams' hands. Photo / Getty Images

This was meant to be the day for two established giants of the game to hog the headlines as they equalled Sean Fitzpatrick's record of 92 tests. Instead, Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina were forced out of the spotlight by a man who has accumulated 90 fewer test caps than they have.

If Sonny Bill Williams last week hinted at the impact he could have in international rugby, yesterday at Murrayfield it was writ large in neon.

Williams made the first try in each half of the All Blacks' impressive 49-3 win over an underdone Scotland and was a constant menace with his offloads in contact and flick passes.

And the All Black midfielder said his old league teammate Benji Marshall, who orchestrated Saturday's 16-12 Four Nations defeat of Australia, would be a perfect fit in rugby union.

While All Black management has been careful not to over-inflate the Williams balloon, Scotland coach Andy Robinson felt no such restrictions.

"He's got everything," the former England international said with a mixture of envy and awe. "He's great for the sport of rugby union. Not [great] for a defensive coach and not for an opposition coach, but he's a quality player and it's fantastic he's in the sport and obviously fantastic for New Zealand."

It was just the start of the glowing testimonials coming Williams' way.

"He has got an amazing ability to offload the ball in the tackle," coach Graham Henry said. "That's a real asset. I don't think I've ever seen any rugby player with that sort of skill in that situation before."

Henry tempered that assessment with a warning that Williams was still a piece of clay, a large piece at that, which needed moulding.

"I still think there's a wee way to go there and he'll get more confident and even go to a higher standard."

Having watched Williams as a league player, everybody knew he could throw a pass. But even those who admired his ability in the 13-man code are surprised how well he has transferred those skills.

"That fella's a freak. He just holds the ball in that big hand of his and some of those offloads, only a freak can do that stuff," flanker Liam Messam said. "I've been watching him all season in the ITM Cup trying to figure out how he does that."

The 92-cappers were happy to sit back and watch the show, too.

"If you're sniffing around there the ball will come free," McCaw said. "He makes pretty good decisions with it. He doesn't often throw one when it's not on. As time goes on and tests perhaps are a bit tighter it's about making sure he makes those right decisions, but he's got a unique ability."

Muliaina, who yesterday marked his record-equalling test with two tries, said it had now reached a point where you just assumed the ball was never dead when it was in Williams' hands.

"You just expect it to come. Even at training, a few times you think he's gone to deck and suddenly the ball pops out of nowhere. It's something as a backline we've got to be aware of."

Williams was happy to deflect most of the praise. While acknowledging that yesterday was a "step forward" in his career, he believes he remains behind Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith in the midfield pecking order.

"To me, Ma'a and Conrad are the best midfield combination in the world, so as long as I can get my foot in there and stay in that 22 and get a bit of game time here and there, I'll improve. I know I can mix it at this level, but in saying that there's a long way to go."

Williams took inspiration watching the Kiwis defeat the Kangaroos before the test and reckons he can see a potential rugby superstar. "Benji had a magnificent game," Williams said of Wests Tigers star playmaker Marshall. "He's blown me away the way he's been playing. He's one of those guys you go to games to watch. He's a special talent.

"Benji's a Quade Cooper-type of player, able to create something out of nothing and light on his feet. It would be interesting to see if one day he comes across."

Probably not something your diehard league fan - or Andy Robinson - wants to contemplate just now.