Photos: All Blacks World Cup squadKEY POINTS:
Ali Williams wasn't exactly dining out on his selection for a second rugby World Cup at Eden Park on Sunday -- he'd already had an equally significant meal a couple of nights before.
After almost six weeks on a soup-centric diet the senior All Blacks lock was finally able to gently devour a steak -- a sure sign his recovery from a broken jaw was progressing to plan.
Since attempting to tackle wild-haired French loose forward Sebastien Chabal in Wellington in June 9, Williams has been making a painstaking recovery, an experience made more uncomfortable by missing out on the All Blacks retention of the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations silverware.
Williams was back among mates at the New Zealand squad naming in the bowels of the ASB Stand and, all going to plan, he'll be back on the field for Auckland's Air New Zealand Cup opener with Counties-Manukau on Saturday.
Should he gain a medical clearance Auckland's southern neighbours will have the dubious honour of welcoming back Williams to a season that rates among his most frustrating -- even before Chabal put him in Upper Hutt hospital.
Included in the reconditioning programme, Williams was used sparingly by Blues coach David Nucifora and ended his Super 14 campaign in disgrace when sent home from South Africa on disciplinary grounds before the semifinal against the Sharks.
"It's been frustrating but it's all been and gone now," Williams said after he was named as one of three specialist locks in Graham Henry's 29-man squad.
Williams lost 8kg during his rehabilitation -- but hardly any sleep -- as there was never any doubt he would rejoin the rugby environment where he arguably thrives the most.
"It's been tough watching the guys, you realise you miss your mates and how close you get to these guys. Not having them around has been hard," he said.
"Now I can smile, get back into it and give the team something."
The grin is back after braces were removed -- part of the process needed to fuse his jaw together after it was broken in two places.
Now he is working on getting his weight back up.
After the progression from soup to mashed potato a couple of weeks ago Williams negotiated his first steak on Friday night. It was, he said, "quite nice".
Williams is also back in full training after being confined to cycling -- though that was also measured as he had trouble breathing.
"I'm back doing everything now. I couldn't do full weights because of the tension -- they didn't want me to clench."
One thing he did do that caused a grimace was watching a replay of the sickening collision with Chabal.
There was nothing a malicious in the hit, with Williams admitting he got his technique slightly wrong.
"I had a look at the tackle and there's a few things I'd change obviously. I'd put my jaw in a different place.
"He came back on me and I mistimed it. It happens in a lot of tackles but they don't always turn out like that."
Rather than dwell on his misfortune Williams was intent on looking forward to France, and a chance at personal redemption after being involved in the 2003 campaign in Australia.
One of 14 players involved in the last World Cup, he was confident the team would not fall again at the semifinal stage.
"For some reason the media and the hype can drag you down, the public put a lot of anxiety in us," he admitted.
"The best rugby team is the one that doesn't worry about it so the key is just to worry about how you play as an individual and how you play as a team."
He said part of the mental approach would be blocking out the unrealistic expectations of a fan base that demanded stylish, comprehensive victories.
"World Cups are a different style of rugby, it's not about chucking the ball around and going through holes.
"It's about grinding it out, getting field position. They're not all glamorous wins."
And maintaining the substance over style theme Williams said despite all the exotic soups he has been sent to aid his recovery, he is a meat and three veg man for the immediate future.
"I'm off soup for a while." Regardless of the cold.
- NZPA
