Rugby: Recovery in the fast lane

Ali Williams may play against the Reds if he gets through practice this week. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A month of Super 14 inactivity should end for Blues lock Ali Williams if he gets through a final practice this week.

Williams' return to the Blues this season has been interrupted by injury with a back problem removing him from the trip to South Africa before he damaged his Achilles tendon against the Waratahs on March 27.

Despite encouraging medical noises, Williams has not played since, although coach Pat Lam is more optimistic his senior lock will be available on Anzac Day to help the workload being shared by Kurtis Haiu and Anthony Boric.

Williams has only been involved in four games for the Blues this season after returning from a year's self-imposed exile with the Crusaders. He is, however, said to be primed for a return this weekend against the lowly Reds at North Harbour Stadium.

Others like Tasesa Lavea, Justin Collins and Jamie Helleur who have been on the injured list are also pushing for a return, though tighthead prop John Afoa will be missing because of an ankle injury.

Coach Pat Lam will announce his side tomorrow and insisted he would not make any selection experiments because the Reds were sitting second-last on the points table.

"We can't afford to drop any game in this series, every match is a must-win," he said. "The table is so congested and there is no doubt we will be facing a fired-up Reds side anyway."

An angry Reds coach Phil Mooney promised changes after his side's latest 31-20 defeat to the Lions although observers of the rugby scene in Brisbane are not sure how far that threat can spread because of the lack of experienced talent in the region.

Lam's warning is based on his side's performances this season and the self-analysis they undertook after losing to the Waratahs.

"We had to work on a change of attitude and other subtle alterations, we had to be more demanding of each other and I'm sure the Reds will be doing that after getting a roasting from their coach. We have all been there and I'm sure they will be a whole lot better this weekend."

Lam said his side's improvement had developed from their work at the breakdown and those benefits had swept into other areas of the team's play.

Since then the Blues had shown how much attitude helped performance.

He was buoyed by the growing list of fit players and pointed out that while his squad had 10 All Blacks, the best he had managed so far was to have seven of them fit for one match.

"But that's the way it goes, whether it is babies, fitness, timing or luck," he said.

The Blues lie fifth on the points table with matches against the Reds, Hurricanes, Brumbies and Crusaders to follow with the Hurricanes, at this stage, the only side from that group ahead of them on the ladder.