Crusaders fulfil promise to 'put on a good show'

Sonny Bill Williams of the Crusaders in action during the round six Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Sharks. Photo / Getty Images

Sonny Bill Williams made good on his promise to a grief-stricken Cantabrian that the Crusaders would "put on a good show" in a Twickenham match against the Sharks early yesterday.

In a meeting at the Crusaders' London hotel before the match, the star second five-eighths told Mark Maynard: "Bring the popcorn, we're going to put on a good show."

And they did.

The 44-28 win over the Sharks in the historic Super 15 game at Twickenham ended a whirlwind holiday for Mr Maynard which included a chat with Prince Charles at Westminster Abbey.

But the three-day "trip of a lifetime" travelling with the Crusaders has been bittersweet without his wife, Kelly, by his side.

The 43-year-old, mother to the couple's two young daughters, Molly, 3, and Matilda, 2, died in the collapsed Pyne Gould Corporation building in the February 22 Christchurch earthquake.

The Prince of Wales held a private audience for Mr Maynard and 46 other grieving family members in London after a memorial service for the earthquake victims at the Abbey on Sunday (British time).

Mr Maynard and his brother Peter, who won the trip from a local radio station, were joined by nephew Matt Maynard, 19, who lives in Edinburgh.

The Abbey service, attended by about 2500 people, was brought forward so participants could also attend the match.

Although he would not reveal what the Prince said to him, Mr Maynard had no qualms about sharing his conversations with the rugby players at their central London hotel.

He told the Herald: "The funniest thing was when Sonny Bill said, 'Are you going to the game?'

"We said, 'Yeah,' and he said, 'Bring the popcorn, we're going to put on a good show'."

Although the players were not drinking alcohol before the game, the men shared a pint at a local pub with head coach Todd Blackadder.

Former All Black captain Anton Oliver, who works in London after studying at Oxford, read a prayer at the Abbey service.

He joined former All Black Andrew Mehrtens, who flew across from France, at the game.

Meanwhile, Kiwi soprano Hayley Westenra, who lives in London, burst into tears while speaking in the church.

"This was my home town. This was my backyard growing up. Never in a million years did I think something like this would happen to my city.
I felt sick to my stomach. I couldn't stop crying, to be honest."

Peter Crook, head of the British International Search and Rescue team, which sent 63 people to help in search and recovery, spoke of being able to provide closure for 13 families after pulling their loved ones' bodies from the Pyne Gould building.

He drew laughs from the congregation when he said Maori demolition workers helping the team were "bigger, uglier and tougher versions of Jonah Lomu". He added: "It was terrifying just shaking their hands."