Grant Williams has insisted he is finally ready to play his first full Test match for the Springboks after struggling with injuries for years. The 27-year-old scrum-half will get his first start in a South Africa jersey on Saturday when he faces Argentina at Ellis Park in The Rugby Championship.
Hailing from Paarl, Williams received his schooling at Paarl Gimnasium. He arrived in Durban in 2017, joining forces with College Rovers, and the following year he found himself thrust into the Super Rugby cauldron when he was required to replace the injured Louis Schreuder against the Lions.
Williams is a typically busy half-back, with a lethal turn of pace, something he demonstrated when he came off the bench against Australia at Loftus just over a fortnight ago. He explained it took a lot of perseverance and patience for him to work his way into the Springboks XV.
Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids ahead of Ellis Park test
“I played club rugby after school in 2014. I then ended up at College Rovers in Durban. Perseverance is probably the biggest thing that is instilled in me. It helped me to this point and I’m extremely grateful,” said Williams after he was named on Tuesday in a Springboks team that shows nine changes from the round two Championship loss to New Zealand.
“My first Bok camp was in 2021 and it was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t go too quickly because I didn’t think I was ready. I am now finally ready to play international rugby.
“It takes a lot to work through everything to get to the point where I am now. I am very thankful for the opportunity. For the first time I am healthy because I had a lot of niggles. I really struggled with small injuries and this is the first time that I can complete a season without any injury.”
Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber explained the reasoning behind thrusting the youngster to the forefront, granting him a starting berth ahead of more experienced scrum-halves like the benched Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach.
“Grant is on his third Test and his first start. It is our job to help him gain experience during the week to give him as much exposure of what he is going to get on Saturday so that he is happy and comfortable in the role that he has to fulfill; so that doesn’t have to think about it.
“He can just bring out his natural talent and that makes him special. Yes, he has a role to fulfill, but there is also something that Grant brings to the table that makes him special, that is a Grant Williams thing.”
Nienaber also talked about the five scrum-halves in the squad and how Williams worked hard to be recognised. “We are really fortunate that we have five really good scrum-halves. In terms of Grant, the two games he came off the bench, it was not only that.
“Last year he didn’t get an opportunity and he was probably number four or number five in the pecking order because the other guys were all fit and they got game-time and they got a break. So it was more about how he trained, how he performed for his franchise.
“It’s not only how he did in the last two Test matches when he came off the bench. It is what he did since he has been in the mix with us. He has always been a guy that gave it his all and he probably deserves the opportunity. Through things that happened to the other scrum-halves, he got the opportunity now and he is definitely putting up his hand.”
