Williams finding his way as a Bok

Post the 2019 Rugby World Cup win in Japan, the Springboks have been on a mission to increase their depth in an effort to expand their game.

Along the way, in the four year cycle leading up the World Cup in France later this year, there have been many excellent finds and one of them is Grant Williams. 

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The man from Paarl may not have had the meteoric rise of his homeboys Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie but has managed to establish himself as a vital figure at franchise level at the Sharks and become a player of national team interest. 

He’s currently in the running for a spot in the 33-man squad for the World Cup. At the Boks, he’s proven to be a bright spark based on the two displays he’s had off the bench in the Rugby Championship so far. 

Finding your feet in a Springbok team is very hard; many players with great potential have failed to crack it but that’s not been the case with Williams who looks comfortable every time he dons the green and gold jersey. 

Learning a lot

“I joined the Springboks in 2021, so I have been part of the setup for quite some time now,” Williams said after another good showing off the bench in the Boks’ 35-20 defeat to the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday.

“I think for me personally, I’m enjoying the setup, I’m learning a lot from the more experienced scrumhalves. I’m just finding my way in the squad, I’m happy being part of the group.” 

What’s also made Williams settle swiftly in the national team has been the support he’s received from the management.  

“It’s just backing from the management, if you look at coach Rassie (Erasmus), coach Jacques (Nienaber), and coach Stokke (Mzwandile Stick) … just backing me and everyone around me, that makes a big difference. I’m happy they back me to go out and play,” he said. 

The 26-year-old has blistering pace, his speed allows him to move around the field with ease and can manoeuvre tight situations. 

In the Rugby Championship so far, the Boks’ management have deployed him as part of the six-two split on the bench, covering scrumhalf and wing.  

Start against Argentina?

Calls for Williams to get a start against Argentina later in the month in Johannesburg will now come but he’s not paying attention to that. Instead, he wants to fulfil his role in the team to the best of his ability. 

“I’m not the director or coach, I don’t know if I’ll be involved in the next couple of games,” Williams said.

“I’m assuming that I’ll be part of the bigger group and I need to fulfil my role in the squad and that’s what I’m doing at the moment,” he said.