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'You wouldn't be jealous' - Huge pressure being placed on Liam Williams
The emphasis on his ability to field high balls will have added huge pressure onto Liam Williams this week, says former British & Irish Lions teammate Tommy Seymour.
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The Lions’ apparent failure to deal convincingly with the aerial battle last weekend has been since, with calls for the return of Williams, a player renowned for his ability to defuse aerial bombs and the all-around safety of his game.
Gatland duly obliged, dropping Scottish captain Stuart Hogg out of the 23 after a relatively poor game, with the Welshman parachuted into the 14.
Seymour, who played alongside Hogg at Glasgow Warriors, says that the narrative around his former teammate’s abilities have been largely unfair.
“Everyone has bad days under the high ball. It was a hard day,” Seymour told The Offload podcast. “To say Hoggy isn’t good under the high ball does him a huge disservice. You look back as far as the Six Nations and you can see that’s not exactly true.
“Hoggy, by his own high standards, won’t have been happy with some of the impacts he would have liked to have on the game.
“It’s disappointing for him but it’s easy to sit back and say well he should catch that high ball when it’s been smashed 50 metres in the air and you’ve got an entire South African team coming at you. It’s a lot easier said than done.
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“Across the board the high ball wasn’t dealt with by the entire team, so to pin it on one or two individuals was a wee bit harsh.”
Seymour, who toured with Williams during the 2017 tour of New Zealand, says the 30-year-old will be under added pressure this week.
“I tell you what, Sanjay will be feeling it this week as well. The whole dialogue this week since Hoggy had that game has been ‘put Liam Williams in, he’s the safest person under the high ball.’
“Liam Williams is unbelievable under the high ball but now he’s coming into the game ‘Jeepers, if there wasn’t enough pressure already, there is now, as I’ve been touted as the guy who never drops a high ball”.
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“Fairplay to him. He’ll handle the pressure well but certainly, you wouldn’t be jealous of him,” concluded Seymour.
“Anyone reading the media this week, it’s suddenly we’ve gone from touting these guys as the best, this, that and the other; to having one poor game and now we’re saying Anthony Watson isn’t as capable under a high ball as Cheslin Kolbe.
“Anthony Watson is unbelievable under the high ball. He does it every week.
“We’re all human beings. We have off days at work. We’ve had days where we’d wished we’d done but to say that suddenly Anthony Watson isn’t capable of doing something Cheslin Kolbe, definitely when it comes to the aerial game, is definitely over the top.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Brumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
10 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
2 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to comments