Grant Williams ready for All Blacks battle — and family bragging rights

The last time the Springboks played the All Blacks, Grant Williams came off the bench in the historic 43-10 victory in Wellington, a week after the Kiwis had beaten the Boks at fortress Eden Park.

“It was a whole different week before that Wellington game, with a completely different mentality,” Williams recalls of how the Boks bounced back from disappointment to record their biggest-ever win over the All Blacks in New Zealand’s capital.

On Saturday at Ellis Park, for the opening Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, he expects the All Blacks to be in a similar frame of mind to the one the Boks adopted that day in Wellington.

“The All Blacks will come out on Saturday guns blazing, but whoever is selected for the weekend, it will be about fronting up and making sure we represent South Africa really well.

“I’ll be in this bubble (of the Springbok camp), so I won’t get to hear all of the things being said about the game,” he said. “My only job is, if selected, to make sure the team goes forward and that I understand what the team needs. That will be my week.”

Williams revealed that he has family members who support the All Blacks, adding a little extra spice to what is already one of rugby’s greatest rivalries.

“It will give me bragging rights if we can get one up on them. So it will be a massive privilege, if selected, obviously.”

Asked whether the rivalry could make for an awkward Christmas around the family dinner table, Williams laughed off the suggestion.

“No, not at all,” he said, smiling.

Patience is a virtue, and it often brings its own rewards. Williams knows that better than most.

The scrumhalf had to fight his way from club rugby in Durban to make his Sharks debut at the age of 23. Just two years later, he was a Springbok.

The deadly quick Williams has scored eight tries in 29 Tests since making his international debut against Wales in Bloemfontein in 2022.

@iol.sport 🖤 FEELING THE CAPE TOWN LOVE! 🇳🇿🇿🇦 All Blacks captain Pat Tuipuloto has praised Cape Town’s passionate fans for their incredible welcome ahead of the massive showdown against the Stormers! 🏉🔥 To thank their faithful local supporters, Tuipuloto promised the All Blacks will bring their signature, high-voltage running rugby to DHL Stadium! ⚡🏃‍♂️ “We feel the love!” — Pat Tuipuloto 🖤 Are you backing the All Blacks or the Stormers in the Mother City? Drop your score predictions below! 👇 #AllBlacks #Stormers #PatTuipuloto #CapeTown #RugbysGreatestRivalry ♬ original sound – IOL Sport

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the 30-year-old continued to take nothing for granted.

“We first have to wait till Thursday for the team announcement to know who is starting,” he said. “So it might be Cobus (Reinach), it might be Krappie (Morné van den Berg), or it could be Herschel (Jantjies).”

But the fact that Williams was selected for media duty is a strong hint that he will wear the No 9 jersey against All Blacks playmaker Cam Roigard.

“If I get the honour to play on Saturday, it’s always good for me to put the team first,” he said. “I won’t be focused on my opposition. Obviously, I’ll study him, but if I get the opportunity, then my job is to make sure the team goes forward.

“If Cobus, Krappie or Herschel gets the opportunity, they’ll do the same.

“We don’t have younger guys trying to drag the more experienced guys down and vice versa. We think we’ve got a healthy level of competition, and it’s what makes team selection so difficult for us, because the guys all really care.”