Opportunity for Grant Williams to become Springboks’ number one No.9

IT DOESN’T matter who he will come up against on Saturday, Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams knows he will have to put forward his best foot forward no matter which players the Australian side selects.

With Faf de Klerk and Jaden Hendrikse injured, Williams will have the perfect opportunity during the Rugby Championship to strengthen his claim to become the Boks’ first-choice No.9 with another solid performance this weekend.

South Africa face Australia in Brisbane in the opening Test of the Rugby Championship (6.30am start, SA time), and Williams, should he be announced in the starting line-up on Tuesday morning by head coach Rassie Erasmus, will be an instrumental cog in the Bok game plan, both on the attack and defensively.

Veterans Nic White and Jake Gordon, alongside 25-year-old Tate McDermott, are the scrumhalves at Joe Schmidt’s disposal for the duel at the Suncorp Stadium, but Williams will be ready to face any of them.

“I don’t know which ones will play, but they are all three experienced players,” Williams said of the Aussie scrumhalves.

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“Nic White has played over 30 Tests for Australia. Jake and Tate are experienced, too. They will bring that calmness, and it’s what I can expect on Saturday. With more playing time on the field, it makes you a better player. I think RG (Snyman) will agree with me.

“It gives you more confidence when you start a game. I am getting more used to the pressure that comes with every Saturday.”

Williams believes the couple of wins the Wallabies bagged in recent weeks will give them plenty of confidence to take on the Springboks in front of their home fans. The second Test will be next week at Perth’s Optus Stadium.

He said that the change in coaching staff since they last met at Loftus Versfeld in 2022 will also make a difference.

“It will be tough, as always. They will be high on confidence following those wins. I haven’t played them in Australia yet, so I think it will be an entirely different experience and they will be a different beast.

“We have a good idea of who will be available and could play. We will have those final answers when they announce their team.”