'Comical' Ali springs welcome surprise

Ali Williams

It was easy to picture Graham Henry's face the moment Ali Williams took a quick tapped penalty and lobbed a punt to the south-eastern corner of Eden Park.

Twenty minutes into the Tri-Nations decider, 8-0 up on the Wallabies. Take the three points and press on. But no, up stepped big Ali. Comical Ali they call him. The team prankster.

Henry let fly a pithy observation in the coaches' box. But he couldn't see what his long tall lock could: Doug Howlett out wide with clear air for company. Williams plonked the gentle punt into Howlett's arms and he simply sat down for the second of his three tries.

Commentator Grant Nisbett has been doing this lark for nigh on 20 years. He's just about seen it all, you'd think. "Ali Williams! You've got to be kidding," was his reaction.

Several All Blacks might have done it. Williams wouldn't have been in the top 10 picks. Henry's face, caught on television moments after, was priceless. It was a look a thousand errant schoolboys have known down the years.

Later, assistant coach Steve Hansen offered a revealing thought. It transpired at one point last year, the only person going in to bat for Williams was Henry. He would be on the next trip, said the boss.

"So we said, 'Righto', we'll turn him into a good player," Hansen said in his droll manner. "At the moment there's still a wee way to go, but he's putting his hand up, and showing a full range of skills. That wasn't a fluke."

Hansen also made the point Williams kept his head on the occasions the Wallabies tried to provoke him. The Williams of a year ago might have bitten. But now he's "in a good space, and he deserves a good rap for that".

In an odd way, Williams' punt on Saturday night was a vindication of the coaching panel's desire to grow decision makers in the squad. Sure, it could have backfired horribly. But it didn't, and that's the point. Williams had the confidence and the skill, to see an opening, catch the defence off guard, and do the job.

Afterwards, the top table talked of the growing maturity in the squad. Henry referred to the "character and togetherness" which got them home against a plucky but severely under-resourced Wallaby side.

Captain Tana Umaga pointed out history suggests successful teams are those that have grown up together.

And here's another thought. Until this year, if an All Black lock was to be replaced for the final quarter of a test, Williams would be your pick, not the senior pro, Chris Jack. Yet Jack, the 44-test veteran, has been replaced in four of the past six tests. Williams has been pulled just twice in eight tests this year.

Jack had a dodgy ankle on Saturday, which explained his early departure. But he hasn't been injured in every test of 2005. Again, a hint of Williams' growing maturity.

The 24-year-old admits he owes plenty of people "who helped me and said what I was capable of, so it was time to put it in on the field". And the All Blacks are reaping the benefits.