SBW set for explosive return in Stormers match
Sonny Bill Williams gets another chance to impress the All Blacks selectors and help his Blues team to an unlikely playoffs place after he was yesterday named to start against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
Williams missed last weekend’s victory over the Cheetahs after suffering concussion the previous week against the Waratahs but has been cleared to play at Newlands.
He is likely to be champing at the bit. Williams has a big following in South Africa, and particularly in Cape Town, and with Crusader Ryan Crotty mounting a big challenge for the All Blacks’ No 12 jersey for the first test against the British and Irish Lions next month, Williams needs game time after a late start to the season following Achilles surgery.
The Blues need to win all four of their remaining round-robin matches to have a chance of making the finals series, but their fate rests with the Highlanders, who are five points above them on the table.
Ofa Tu’ungafasi gets his second start of the season after his Mannering (pictured) standout performance when replacing the injured Pauliasi Manu at Eden Park. The only other change from the starting Blues line-up that beat the Cheetahs 50-32 sees Gerard Cowley-Tuioti return to partner fellow in-form lock Scott Scrafton with All Black Patrick Tuipulotu named on the bench. Piers Francis has re- — David Skipwith covered from a knee injury to start at first five, with Bryn Gatland returning to the squad in the reserves with Ihaia West is still out with an ankle problem.
Coach Tana Umaga said: “We knew this back end of the season was full of challenges with our travel schedule. We have planned for it and we do have a number of players coming back from injury for us, and some hopefully ready to be considered back in New Zealand next week.
“The Stormers at Newlands are a formidable challenge. We . . . need to continue to improve every game.”