Rugby: Williams boys warm up for super season

Ali Williams. Photo / Getty Images

It's going to be the SBW and AJW show much of the way to the opening game of Super Rugby.

The unrelated Williams boys, Sonny Bill from the Crusaders and Alexander James from the Blues, are returning from injury and overseas sports assignments designed to get them in shape for this eagerly awaited World Cup season.

Their teams are drawn to play at Eden Park on February 19 under the new conference systems for the next five seasons of the extended pools and finals format.

Ali Williams has rejoined the Blues for tomorrow's practice game with the Hurricanes in Kerikeri, after playing four matches of various duration and standards for the Nottingham club in England. Those appearances were arranged to get Williams back into some rugby but away from the limelight after his past two seasons were blighted by several Achilles tendon operations. His run of 61 All Black tests stalled after the 2008 end-of-year tour to Europe.

He was picked for the All Blacks mid-year squad the next season but reinjured the tendon and then broke down once more before the start of last year's Super Rugby series. Several operations and plenty of rehab later, Williams has embarked on another comeback. He survived his gradual reintroduction to games in England and is expected to start the Blues practice match tomorrow before the teams are rejigged at halftime.

Former Blues utility forward Brad Mika has joined the squad from his last contract in Japan but will not be available for about six weeks because he is recovering from knee surgery while Luke Braid is being monitored after he was concussed in a game with the Highlanders last weekend.

Meanwhile, Sonny Bill Williams is an outside chance to be involved in the opening round of this year's competition. After winning his boxing bout in Australia, Williams had x-rays on his leg which revealed his fracture is healing. While the forecast is positive, the 25-year-old Williams has little time to get into full rugby trim for the season kickoff.