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Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town - A likely full house of almost 50 000 at Newlands on Saturday could bring out the best in the Crusaders' much-talked-about inside centre Sonny Bill Williams, coach Todd Blackadder has warned.
"He steps up for the big ones ... he's a big-game player," the former All Blacks lock enthused at an informal press briefing after the visiting New Zealand side had had a limb-loosening session at sun-soaked Hamiltons RFC on Tuesday.
Williams will be up against bang-in-form, seasoned Springbok Jean de Villiers in the No 12 channel against the Stormers in the keenly-awaited Super Rugby fixture and Blackadder confessed it will be "a key match-up".
He said the imposingly-built (108kg) Williams, a former professional boxer, had performed "well beyond our expectations" in his maiden season of Super Rugby after converting from the league fold.
"He's not just all about his (much-touted in the tackle) offloads; he doesn't mind getting in there and doing the gnarly stuff as well ... making the tackles and cleaning the breakdown.
"He is a complete player."
There was similar enthusiasm from captain Riche McCaw.
When asked how much better "SBW" had made the current Crusaders team, the open-side flank said: "He's been playing extremely well; a great man to have.
"He and Robbie (Fruean) in the midfield certainly are a threat with the ball.
"Sonny's got better and better; he wants to fit in and do the right things for the team. He's got a huge work-rate as well."
Speaking more generally about a game featuring bastions of excellence in the 2011 competition thus far, McCaw said it ought to be "close to a Test match in physical terms".
"I've had a look at the Sharks game. The Stormers were pretty physical, and we remember our game last year being like that too.
"I don't expect it will be much different this time, to be honest. It'll be a good old battle. It's always like that at Newlands.
He was less dismissive than Blackadder - "haven't even talked about it; not interested in it" - on the subject of a certain 42-14 scoreline between the two last season, when the Stormers' mastery of the turnover department through Francois Louw and company was an essential ingredient in the famous home triumph.
McCaw confessed: "We've got memories of last year when we didn't get on too well here and want to sort that out.
"How the breakdown goes (this time) will depend on what's happening gainline-wise; if you're going forward it's a lot easier.
"The Stormers control the advantage line pretty well from a defensive point of view and they're a tough line to break down. But no defence is infallible; if you can stretch them there'll always be space."
Cape Town - A likely full house of almost 50 000 at Newlands on Saturday could bring out the best in the Crusaders' much-talked-about inside centre Sonny Bill Williams, coach Todd Blackadder has warned.
"He steps up for the big ones ... he's a big-game player," the former All Blacks lock enthused at an informal press briefing after the visiting New Zealand side had had a limb-loosening session at sun-soaked Hamiltons RFC on Tuesday.
Williams will be up against bang-in-form, seasoned Springbok Jean de Villiers in the No 12 channel against the Stormers in the keenly-awaited Super Rugby fixture and Blackadder confessed it will be "a key match-up".
He said the imposingly-built (108kg) Williams, a former professional boxer, had performed "well beyond our expectations" in his maiden season of Super Rugby after converting from the league fold.
"He's not just all about his (much-touted in the tackle) offloads; he doesn't mind getting in there and doing the gnarly stuff as well ... making the tackles and cleaning the breakdown.
"He is a complete player."
There was similar enthusiasm from captain Riche McCaw.
When asked how much better "SBW" had made the current Crusaders team, the open-side flank said: "He's been playing extremely well; a great man to have.
"He and Robbie (Fruean) in the midfield certainly are a threat with the ball.
"Sonny's got better and better; he wants to fit in and do the right things for the team. He's got a huge work-rate as well."
Speaking more generally about a game featuring bastions of excellence in the 2011 competition thus far, McCaw said it ought to be "close to a Test match in physical terms".
"I've had a look at the Sharks game. The Stormers were pretty physical, and we remember our game last year being like that too.
"I don't expect it will be much different this time, to be honest. It'll be a good old battle. It's always like that at Newlands.
He was less dismissive than Blackadder - "haven't even talked about it; not interested in it" - on the subject of a certain 42-14 scoreline between the two last season, when the Stormers' mastery of the turnover department through Francois Louw and company was an essential ingredient in the famous home triumph.
McCaw confessed: "We've got memories of last year when we didn't get on too well here and want to sort that out.
"How the breakdown goes (this time) will depend on what's happening gainline-wise; if you're going forward it's a lot easier.
"The Stormers control the advantage line pretty well from a defensive point of view and they're a tough line to break down. But no defence is infallible; if you can stretch them there'll always be space."
