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Nick Williams' extension "better than any new signing" to Cardiff fans
Cardiff fans have shown their relief that veteran No8 Nick Williams has agreed a new one-year deal with the region.
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With his contract expiring at the end of the season, there were fears that the New Zealander would have to leave in the next few weeks as he is not a Welsh-qualified player. However, a deal has been wrangled with the Welsh Rugby Union, and Blues fans are delighted.
Since arriving Cardiff Arms Park from Ulster in 2016, Williams has been one of the club’s most reliable players at the back of the scrum. He would be one of the most skillful players in any team he played for and, combined with a 20-stone frame, it makes him a very useful player.
At the age of 35, he may not be in his athletic prime, but he has a huge amount of experience and makes a massive contribution every time he puts on the No8 shirt. The Cardiff fans are aware of this, as were the Ulster fans, and they have celebrated the news of his extension on Twitter:
Absolutely great news mate. You’ve been immense for us. Keep on smashing it up! 🤙🏻
— Anthony Lewis (@tonylewis92) May 16, 2019
A special player, with all that experience to pass into younger @cardiff_blues players.
— Ian Titherington (@ianapharri) May 17, 2019
https://twitter.com/rupertcoales/status/1129129060838367232?s=20
It will be an honour to watch you play again.
— Matthew Cook (@Mattcook73Cook) May 16, 2019
Superb but only one season ? Plenty of time for a youngster like you 👏👏👏👏👏👏🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵😜
— Wynn Griffiths 💙 (@wgriffiths69) May 17, 2019
Over the moon you’re staying.. an absolute inspiration to any player, not just the youngsters..
— Jon Riches (@jonruk) May 17, 2019
Fantastic news that you’re staying. I’m sure you are a great mentor for the young players coming through but above all else you’re a great rugby player
— David Rees (@DavidRees8) May 17, 2019
So relieved to hear you’re staying with us! #strengththroughunity
— Tim (@taffmiles) May 16, 2019
Best news for ages. Stay forever @nick8williams
— Mr Idrive (@IDRIVECYMRU) May 17, 2019
Very happy you are staying Nick. Wouldn’t be the same without you. See you next season 💪
— Julie Owen Moylan (@JulieOwenMoylan) May 17, 2019
After his deal was announced, Williams took to Instagram to thank Cardiff for sorting out the contract behind the scenes. Like many Cardiff fans, Williams would have been fearful that his career in the Welsh capital was coming to an abrupt end, and he will surely be as happy as the fans that he can stay for another year.
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Williams’ influence seems very similar to that which Nick Easter had at Harlequins, and indeed with England, where he was still able to play at the highest level at the age of 38.
Although a veteran, Easter had a huge impact on his team, aided my his formidable frame, and Williams is very similar stylistically. It would not be surprising if the Kiwi still had a few more seasons in him, as he has shown no signs of letting up.
WATCH: Sam Warburton surprising a 90-year-old Cardiff Blues fan with a personalised drive to the club’s last game of the season
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Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments