DURBAN – The call-up of Grant Williams to the Springbok squad completes something of a rags-to-riches story for the electric scrumhalf who not that long ago was playing club rugby in Durban.
Williams has been on form for the Sharks in the Currie Cup and Bok coach Jaques Nienaber had no hesitation in calling up the 25-year-old to replace another Shark, Jaden Hendrikse, who suffered a leg fracture when he came on as a substitute in the Boks’ Rugby Championship win over Argentina at the weekend.
Hendrikse was stretchered off the field following a tackle in the team’s 29-10 victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and has been ruled out of the remainder of the competition.
ALSO READ: Jacques Nienaber fears injured Springbok scrum-half Hendrikse could 'be in trouble'
Williams joins Faf de Klerk, Herschel Jantjies and Cobus Reinach as the scrumhalves in the squad.
De Klerk and Jantjies were both on the injury list in the last two weeks but are on track with their recovery from a leg strain and hip pointer niggle respectively and will be available for selection for the Tests against Australia and New Zealand.
“It is sad to lose a player like Jaden who was really beginning to find his feet in the system and starting to make his mark in Test rugby, but unfortunately injuries are part of the game,” said Nienaber.
Congratulations to #OurSharks scrumhalf, Grant Williams, on your Springbok call-up! We are extremely proud of you 🦈#OurSharksForever pic.twitter.com/qdoo3L9xBe
“We are lucky to have a handful of talented scrumhalves in the country, and as coaches we have been impressed with Grant’s form this season.
“He will certainly benefit from being in the squad and being exposed to our structures and systems, and we are looking forward to seeing what he has to offer.”
Williams, a product of Paarl Gimnasium, joined the Sharks as a youngster but had two years of injury adversity. It then took him a long time to break into the senior Sharks squad and before lockdown last year he was playing club rugby.
🚨 Bok squad update - Grant Williams in for the injured Jaden Hendrikse
— Springboks (@Springboks) August 23, 2021
🔗 More here: https://t.co/F4gMf93c6z#StrongerTogether #StrongerForever
But once he was given opportunities in the Preparation Cup he has impressed with his blistering pace and became the Sharks’ first-choice scrumhalf in the Currie Cup.
The Springboks will enjoy some time off for the next few days to freshen up mentally and physically following a jam-packed schedule in the last two-and-a-half months. They will remain in Nelson Mandela Bay until SANZAAR announces where the remaining Rugby Championship fixtures will be hosted.
IOL Sport