Sonny Bill Williams of the All Blacks looks to attack during this morning's match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham in London. Photo / Getty Images
Sonny Bill Williams of the All Blacks looks to attack during this morning's match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham in London. Photo / Getty Images
When the plan was simple and they ran straight and hard, Ma'a Nonu and Sonny Bill Williams was a partnership of extreme effectiveness.
It was Williams who created the first half try for Hosea Gear when he crashed onto a long pass and then did what he does better thananyone in world rugby - popped the ball out the back of the tackle to Jerome Kaino who was in acres of space.
But the good bits came and went. It was like waiting for a bus at times, periods of frustration when it felt like something was coming but never did.
There was a casualness at times to the All Blacks' midfield play while at others it was over-complicated. The end result was an uncertainty about whether playing Nonu and Williams is worth persevering with.
Defensively Williams was fortunate the ever ponderous Mike Tindall didn't have the pace or skills to work the outside. There was an element of nervousness about the All Black structure, though.
Williams got by, which is maybe to be expected, rather setting himself up as a dominant force. But to be too critical would be harsh.
There was a general sloppiness to the All Black performance, particularly in the second half. The game never quite flowed and with the All Black scrum in disarray, it was not an easy game for Williams to make his debut.
He wasn't helped much by Nonu, who needed to firstly get himself into the game more and secondly steer his partner through the contest.
Neither happened the way the coaching staff would have liked and it's probable now that the next time Williams plays, it will be at second five with Conrad Smith at centre.
That partnership might make it easier for Williams to be more directly involved. There was a second break he made later in the game where he ran hard, through the first two tackles and then threw a pass over the top that deserved a better finish.
Patchy wit flashes was the overall impression of the midfield - and was also the story of the game.
