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Hansen outlines his Sonny Bill Williams selection policy
By Online Editors
Sonny Bill Williams has enough credit in the bank to only need to prove his fitness to contend for his third Rugby World Cup, says All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
The 33-year-old Auckland Blues back, a member of the World Cup winning squads in 2011 and 2015, suffered a knee injury in late March and had arthroscopic surgery.
It was the latest in a long list of injuries that have limited the inside centre's appearances since the last World Cup in England and questions were being asked if he would be able to make the All Blacks squad.
"I understand why people would say he's running out of time. But is he really?" Hansen told reporters in Auckland on Monday.
He said Williams was back running and would probably be available for the Blues again in two weeks.
"He's already proved himself. He's played 51 tests. That's a lot of Test matches, that's a lot of proving.
"What we need to see is him getting back on the track. Then we've got to ask ourselves is his fitness good enough for him to be selected in the team?
"We play five Test matches before we have to name the World Cup team, so does he deserve the opportunity to show us whether he's still good enough?
"Of course he does because he's played 50 Test matches."
Hansen is likely to take just four midfield backs to Japan with Williams, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Anton Leinert-Brown and Ngani Laumape all in contention.
World Cup winner Ma'a Nonu, who last played for the All Blacks in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final victory over Australia, is also a dark horse selection after some strong performances for the Blues since he returned home from France.
Hansen added that other senior players like Ben Smith (hamstring), Owen Franks (shoulder), Dane Coles (calf) and Brodie Retallick (wrist) were progressing well in their recovery from injuries.
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Agree with Wilson B- at best. And that is down to skilled individual players who know how to play the game - not a cohesive squad who know their roles and game plan. For those who claim that takes time to develop, the process is to keep the game plan simple at first and add layers as the squad gels and settles in to the new systems. Lack of progress against the rush D, lack of penetration and innovation in the mid-field, basic skill errors and loose forwards coming second in most big games all still evident in game 14 of the season. Hard to see significant measureable progress.
Go to commentsKeep telling yourself that. The time for a fresh broom is at the beginning - not some "balanced, incremental" (i.e. status quo) transition. All teams establish the way forward at the beginning. This coaching group lacked ideas and courage and the players showed it on the pitch. Backs are only average. Forwards are unbalanced and show good set piece but no domination in traditional AB open play. Unfortunately, Foster - Mark 2. You may be happy with those performances and have some belief in some "cunning plan" but I don't see any evidence of it. Rassie is miles ahead and increasing the gap.
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