Watching him in that latest series was as painful as watching the Blues. At his best, Ali Williams was a world-class international lock. He brought an array of skills to his All Black work which put him in the top layer of those who have worn the famous uniform.
His athleticism and core work nudged him towards those like Colin Meads, Andy Haden, Peter Whiting, Sam Strachan, Alan Stewart, Gary Whetton, Ian Jones, Robin Brooke and Brad Thorn who honoured the second row.
Had his body behaved, Williams would have been approaching 100 caps for his country by now but the past four seasons have been an erratic patch for him. Achilles injuries and other leg problems have blighted his work since 2009 and while he returned for the World Cup triumph, he was well adrift of Brad Thorn and Sam Whitelock.
For much of the Super 15 his work was ineffective but All Black coach Steve Hansen backed himself and the environment to revive Williams' talents. The problem was Williams' knee did not oblige and he peeled away for surgery after two substitute appearances against Ireland. That done and with minimal ITM Cup work as a WoF, Williams got his boarding pass once again for this All Blacks tour of Europe.
His fortune remained that Craig Clarke, Jarrad Hoeata and Jason Eaton did not quite fit the bill as an alternative.
