HARRY’S TOP OF THE CLASS NOW

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EXETER prop Harry Williams never dreamed of being an international rugby player – now he is living the dream with England.

Williams was at Whitgift School in Croydon and played in the same all-conquering team as British & Irish Lion Elliot Daly and England’s Marland Yarde.

At that time, the front-rower was overshadowed by those stars and feared his chances of a pro career were down the pan, so he left for New Zealand to play club rugby before joining Nottingham and Championship outfit Jersey.

Canny Exeter boss Rob Baxter signed Williams in 2015 and he is now a Premiership champ – and in the same England squad as Yarde in Argentina.

“I never thought about becoming an international,” said Williams. “All I ever wanted to be was a Premiership player.

“Marland plays wing and, at school, he played centre. He was a lot better than me.

“At school, I wasn’t a particularly good player, I just tried hard.

“He got straight into professional rugby, but he was very good. I had a lot more developing to do and it only after university did I get the offer from Jersey.” Williams, 25, was part of Exeter’s raucous title celebrations a fortnight ago, but his old party animal lifestyle nearly put paid to his pro career.

He added: “I was at university while I was at Nottingham and never fully gave myself to rugby because I always had my lectures.

“Also I was enjoying life. I was going out a lot.” Not as dominant as he was in Whangarei a week ago, but quietly effective BENCH: Watson the pick of the cavalry after replacing Hogg – sharp and alert

KRUIS CONTROL Flaky in first start, groggy in this one after running into Conor Murray’s elbowNot the tour de force of four years ago, though there’s still time for thatSpilled two try-scoring passes in first half before head knock on half hourThink Jamie Roberts in 2009 and you’ll get the idea. Strong and stableA lot more controlled than his yellow card cameo in AucklandEverything the Lions hoped he would be. A true rugby titanMr Perpetual motion, set perfect tempo and Lions danced to his tuneThe envy of the front row union, blending physicality with dexterity and guileLine-out still has to be worked on, but another who contributed fullyA tank in the close-quarter exchanges, continuing a wonderful seasonCaptain for the night proved to be hard and uncompromisingA composed presence in the engine room and fiercely physicalStole an early line-out and brought a steely attitude throughout his gameA ready replacement for Sam Warburton if his ankle injury won’t mend in time 7

STUFF OF DREAMS : Williams is now an England international