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Sonny Bill Williams set for long-awaited Blues bow

Sonny Bill Williams faces the media during the Olympic Games

Sonny Bill Williams could make his first appearance since rupturing his Achilles tendon at the Rio Olympics after being named on the bench for Blues’ Super Rugby clash with Highlanders on Saturday.

Cross-code star Williams suffered the injury playing for New Zealand Sevens at the Games in August, ruling him out of the Rugby Championship and the early part of Blues’ campaign.

However, he is set to make his debut for the Auckland franchise when they travel to Dunedin this weekend in a battle of the New Zealand Conference’s bottom two teams.

Blues will make three changes to their starting XV on Saturday, including the return of All Black lock Steven Luatua from suspension, while Rieko Ioane returns in the backs.

“We have missed Steven’s undoubted skills and it also allows Jerome (Kaino) to return to his role at number six where he is regarded as the best in the world,” coach Tana Umaga said. 

“Rieko is an extraordinary talent and showed his class off the bench to earn his spot back in the starting line-up.”

 

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Nickers 25 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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