Grant Williams' first Springboks Test start lasts just 10 seconds

Grant Williams’ first start as the Springboks No9 was dramatically ended on Saturday by a collision just 10 seconds into his team’s Rugby Championship match against Argentina in Johannesburg. The recently turned 27-year-old was named last Tuesday for his maiden run-on appearance for South Africa after three previous appearances off the replacements bench.

The scrum-half was one of nine changes to the Springboks XV made by head coach Jacques Nienaber following their round two 20-35 loss to New Zealand in Auckland. However, hopes that the Championship finale would provide South African fans with a good look at Williams ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup were dashed by an injury sustained in his first involvement in the match.

Argentina kicked off at Emirates Airlines Park and their start went deep into the 22 to where Williams was poised to gather. He caught the ball on the five-metre line, but his right-footed kick was blocked on 10 seconds by the charging Juan Cruz Mallia.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber on Grant Williams starting against Argentina

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber on Grant Williams starting against Argentina

The Argentine full-back, who was airborne at the time, caught Williams in the head with his follow through and after the play was stopped on 17 seconds following a South African infringement at a ruck, referee Andrew Brace decided that Mallia was committed to the collision after touching the ball and that foul play hadn’t taken place.

The knocked-out Williams was stretchered off, allowing Faf de Klerk, who had dropped to the bench to accommodate the Test rookie getting his first start, to come onto the field. This lack of game time for Williams will frustrate the Springboks given how highly coach Nienaber had spoken about him earlier in the week.

IMHO I don’t think it’s ethical for the video of Grant Williams being knocked out cold, to be posted or reshared. It’s bad enough that it happened on live TV. Think about the player involved, and their loved ones.

— Elma Smit (@Elmakapelma) July 29, 2023

“Grant is on his third Test and his first start. It is our job to help him gain experience during the week to give him as much exposure of what he is going to get on Saturday so that he is happy and comfortable in the role that he has to fulfill; so that doesn’t have to think about it,” explained Nienaber after he had decided to start Williams.

“He can just bring out his natural talent and that makes him special. Yes, he has a role to fulfill, but there is also something that Grant brings to the table that makes him special, that is a Grant Williams thing.”

South Africa recovered from the early loss of Williams to lead 15-9 at the interval courtesy of tries from Eben Etzebeth and Damian de Allende, and they went on to win 22-21 to clinch a second-place finish in the tournament behind New Zealand.

Manie Libbok’s converted 69th-minute try stretched the hosts’ lead to 22-9 before de Allende’s yellow card was followed by late Argentina tries for Mateo Carreras and Gonzalo Bertranou.