Rugby: Catt tips Sonny Bill to make impact

Sonny Bill Williams is likely to start at centre for the Barbarians against the Wallabies on Saturday. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Mike Catt still winces at the thought of Jonah Lomu, and says it's too soon to tell if Sonny Bill Williams can go anywhere near rivalling his impact on rugby.

Catt, the former England utility back and 2003 World Cup winner, is assistant coach for the Barbarians who assembled with Williams yesterday for Saturday's match against the Wallabies at the Sydney Football Stadium.

In a 23-man squad containing 775 test caps including recent All Blacks Justin Marshall, Jerry Collins, Luke McAlister, Chris Jack and Greg Somerville, all the focus was on the Kiwis league international who defected to rugby for Toulon last August.

Catt, famously trampled by Lomu at the 1995 World Cup, was guarded about his expectations of Williams who will likely play centre on Saturday.

"I'm not really sure. I'm still trying to recover from Jonah Lomu," Catt said yesterday.

"Sonny Bill burst onto the scene in league and he did particularly well there. He's gone to Toulon where it's a lot quieter for him.

"If he'd come to the (English) premiership it might have been a different story, thrown straight in there.

"Jonah's done it all, Sonny Bill still has got to do it. Until we see him play, Jonah's always going to be the one at the top. I think (Williams) has the attributes to be a fantastic player, so we'll see."

`Williams, Auckland born and raised, made a huge impact in the 13-man game with the Bulldogs where he won a National Rugby League (NRL) premiership in 2004 and was hailed as one of league's most devastating attackers.

He stunned league fans by quitting the Bulldogs one year into a five-year contract, and linked up with former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and Collins in France.

Toulon struggled in the French competition and Williams admitted he found the initial switch difficult. Linking up with Umaga in the centres later in the season made him feel more comfortable, he said, and he recently signed another one-year contract.

Catt said this week would be as much as guessing game for he and Barbarians coach Dai Young - the former Wales and Lions prop - as Australian and New Zealand rugby fans.

"We haven't really seen much of Sonny Bill from a rugby perspective. We don't get much coverage of the French league in the UK.

"But what we've heard about him, and seen on the league field, has been pretty impressive.

"It always takes time to develop but I think he's got a hell of a skill set and putting him in the environment with so many great players around him will let him go out and express himself.

"It will be a good indication of where he is and what he can do with ball in hand. The way the Barbarians play will hopefully suit him down to the ground."

Catt observed the Toulon forwards had struggled, so Williams was handicapped by a lack of front foot ball.

That shouldn't be an issue for the Barbarians with Somerville and fellow former All Black Clarke Dermody in the front row, and other forwards including Jack, Cardiff-based Hurricanes veteran Paul Tito, South African BJ Botha, England's Martin Corry, Frenchman Serge Betsen and Wallabies duo Rocky Elsom and Phil Waugh.

- NZPA