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Crusaders ready to unleash hulking new propping prospect on All Blacks front-rowers
It’s no understatement to suggest that the Crusaders are perhaps the best propping factory in the world, regularly converting inexperienced players into contenders for international jerseys.
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The likes of Joe Moody, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Tim Perry, Nepo Laulala, Alex Hodgman and George Bower have all passed through the Crusaders systems in the last decade and have all spent time in the All Blacks environment.
The Crusaders are now preparing to unleash their newest recruit on a Blues pack that’s also not short of talent in the front row.
Australia-born Tamaiti Williams, who spent two years in the New Zealand Secondary Schools side and two years with the New Zealand Under 20s, has been named on the Crusaders’ bench for Sunday’s grudge match with the Blues.
He’ll likely come on in place of loosehead George Bower – but is capable of propping up both sides of the scrum.
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Coach Scott Robertson has said the ANZAC Day fixture is just reward for the 21-year-old, who’s been working hard off the pitch in his debut season with the Crusaders.
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“Tamaiti is a big human. It’s a great opportunity for him to come in as a young fella and play a big match,” Robertson said. “He’s trained really well and he’s ready to go.
“He can play both sides, which is pretty incredible for a man that’s six-five, 130 odd kg.”
Williams is a product of Saint Kentigern College (although he began his schooling at Kerikeri College in New Zealand’s far north), the high school that’s produced the likes of Joe Rokocoko, Jerome Kaino, John Afoa and, more recently, TJ Faiane, Braydon Ennor and Blake Gibson.
The Blues will have their backs against the wall on Sunday… But maybe that's going to be their recipe for success. #SuperRugbyAoteaora #CRUvBLUhttps://t.co/Goh4265e7M
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 23, 2021
Robertson made it clear that while his new prop is from the north, he’s now a Crusaders man through and through.
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“He was an Auckland boy,” Robertson said. “[Sunday’s match is] probably a little bit more personal, obviously, [give] where he comes from and his history… Everyone up north will be really proud of him. He’s worked really hard and he’s good to go.”
As mentioned by Robertson, Williams’ physical measurements are impressive and put him in good stead for the future – but how will he fair when up against the likes of Karl Tu’inukuafe and Nepo Laulala on Sunday?
Even if Williams joins the fray late in the match, the Blues have Ofa Tuungafasi ready to unleash from the bench.
It will be a mammoth challenge for the young prop, and one that will test his mettle in his first season with the Crusaders – but given the Canterbury side are rarely embarrassed at scrum time, it’s difficult to imagine Robertson putting up his young charge as a lamb to the slaughter.
Elsewhere in the pack, the Crusaders have restored All Blacks Samuel Whitelock, Codie Taylor and Cullen Grace to the starting lineup for a game that could guarantee them a home final in two weeks’ time.
Sunday’s match kicks off at 3:35pm NZT from Christchurch.
Comments on RugbyPass
A lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
1 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
21 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
21 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments