KEY POINTS:
A Williams has returned to the Blues for tomorrow's duel with their bogey Super 14 rivals, the Chiefs. But it is not the A, as in Ali, Williams who has made the cut and soothed some of the All Black panel disquiet about his return to the series.
Instead it is the burly No 8 Nick Williams who has made the selection leap in the Blues' quest to snap a three-year drought against the Chiefs, pitched into a comparison with wrecking-ball Sione Lauaki.
Both players will be having just their second start at No 8 this season, decisions which have forced positional shifts to blindside flanker for Jerome Kaino in the Blues and Steven Bates, who has recovered from an ankle injury.
While the benching of Ali Williams will grate at national level, those selectors will take great interest in the restoration of Chiefs centre Richard Kahui after a season blighted by a shoulder problem. Kahui starred for Waikato in the last provincial championship and was expected to push on in the Super 14, but a shoulder problem restricted him to 50 minutes against the Bulls.
All Black coach Graham Henry said last week that Kahui was nearing fitness and would be in the group of midfielders pushing for national acclaim. Blues centre Isaia Toeava had been the best of those on show halfway through the Super 14 - his clash with Kahui should be intriguing.
While the Blues settled on four new players - Ben Atiga, David Gibson, Nick Williams and Tony Woodock - yesterday, the Chiefs have still not nailed down who will partner Kristian Ormsby at lock.
Injured All Blacks Keith Robinson and Jono Gibbes are in a three-way bracket with Toby Lynn - and in that order of preference if they show no ill-effects from training today.
Props Simms Davidson and Nathan White return after a week's layoff to bolster the front row beside hooker and captain Tom Willis. "The Chiefs are going to be after a big scrum, they will try and attack us there," Blues coach David Nucifora said. "We are fortunate to get Tony Woodcock back at loosehead. He is our best scrummager, we know how good he is but it will be a question of how much time we get out of him."
While Nucifora was prepared to start Woodcock, because he did not cover both sides from the bench, he has placed the other reconditioned All Blacks Keven Mealamu and Ali Williams in the reserves. Winger Joe Rokocoko will play club rugby to boost his match fitness after returning from a sprained ankle.
"The guys are all playing well and anyone who wants to win this competition has to use their full squad," Nucifora said, defending his minimal use of All Blacks. "There is a lot of football to go. We wanted a competitive environment in the squad, that is what we have got. It is bringing out the best in the group."
But Ali Williams revealed his frustration, waiting for his chance to make an impact at lock in what is one of the most strongly-contested World Cup selections. "I can't help what David's thinking and how the team's going. They're going well without me so it's just about waiting, seeing when the opportunity's right and going from there," he said.
