Ali Williams - 2007 Internationals and World Cup

2007 Internationals and World Cup

Williams's troubles with the Blues had no impact on his international career, as he was included in the New Zealand squad for the two-Test series against France in June 2007. He started both Tests, but suffered a serious injury in the second Test, on 9 June, when he fractured his jaw while tackling French number eight Sébastien Chabal. As a result, he missed the whole of the 2007 Tri Nations Series. But despite having his jaw wired and being forced to subsist on soup for several weeks, he made a return to rugby for his club side, Ponsonby, at the end of July, scoring two tries, and started for Auckland in their Air New Zealand Cup match against Bay of Plenty on 3 August, scoring a try in the fourth minute of the game. Coincidentally, this was the first time that Williams and his younger brother, Jay, had played together as locks in first-class rugby.

Following his return from injury, Williams was an automatic selection for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, especially as two other locks, James Ryan and Jason Eaton were unavailable owing to long-term injuries and Keith Robinson had suffered a calf strain during the Tri Nations and was a doubtful starter, at least for the first pool game. Robinson suffered a recurrence of his calf strain during pre-tournament training, which left Williams and Chris Jack to share the locking duties during the early games. Williams started in New Zealand's first three games, against Italy, Portugal and Scotland. He was replaced for the last 10 minutes of the Italy game, his place being taken by number eight Rodney So'oialo. So'oialo again replaced him for the last 25 minutes of the game against Portugal, but not before he had scored his fifth international try. He scored again in the game against Scotland, which he started alongside Reuben Thorne, being replaced for the last 15 minutes by Chris Jack. Robinson was fit again for New Zealand's final pool game, against Romania, and he and Thorne started as locks, with Jack on the bench; Williams was rested for this game.

The Scotland game was an emotional occasional for Williams. It was the first time that his father had left New Zealand since a bad fall ten years earlier had left him a tetraplegic, using a wheelchair, and he and Williams's mother were seated alongside the pitch, while Williams's grandmother and other Scottish relatives watched from the stands.