Rugby: Williams' gain-line ability key for All Blacks

Sonny Bill Williams has a height and weight advantage. Photo / Getty Images

Offloading game and knack of running over opponents could help nullify twin threat of Hooper and Pocock.

Sonny Bill Williams, excused from the All Blacks' recent trip to South Africa due, according to Steve Hansen, his busy recent schedule, will find plenty to do against Australia tonight.

With the Wallabies fielding two specialist opensiders in Michael Hooper and David Pocock, the All Blacks will be relying on Williams, in at No 12 for the injured Ma'a Nonu, to get them over the gain-line. An All Blacks team consistently on the front foot will help nullify the threat of Hooper and Pocock, and Williams - like Nonu - is an expert at that with his offloading game and ability to run over the top of opponents.

The 30-year-old - well used to playing outside former Crusaders teammate Dan Carter and inside Conrad Smith - is up against Matt Giteau, who has never played with Wallabies No 10 Bernard Foley. Giteau is also 28cm shorter than Williams, and about 25kg lighter. That inside channel will be a clear target for an All Blacks team fired up to secure the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup and make up for last year's underwhelming draw at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.

Foley, likely to be tasked with tackling Williams if the Wallabies use a drift defence, is a competent defender but he, too, is much smaller than the former league player Williams. When the All Blacks swept on to the attack in Brisbane last year in a last-ditch bid to win the last test between the two nations, the coaches were screaming for the team to give the ball to Malakai Fekitoa, who had a one-on-one with Foley about 15m out from the Wallabies' line.

Fekitoa, who had gone on a searing break minutes earlier, duly delivered a try with his pace and strength, leaving replacement Colin Slade to kick the conversion for the victory.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika believes Toulon-based Giteau can handle Williams' threat due to his courage.

"Maybe [there is] a little size difference there, but Giteau has a big heart. A big heart, and he's not scared," Cheika said. "I am sure he'll seize the opportunity.

Former Wallabies second-five Tim Horan, now a television commentator, believes Williams has changed his game to fit the All Blacks' methods.

"Sonny Bill has really grasped the game of rugby and gone to another level," Horan told foxsports.com.au.

"His offloads and the way he understands the game and how the All Blacks are trying to play the game.

"He's now a very unselfish player who wants to put other people into space and give them opportunity.

"He's done an amazing job in that All Blacks jersey and they're going to be very hard to beat."