Rugby: Williams focused on the here and now

Ali Williams. Photo / Getty Images

Lock Ali Williams is all about the here and now as the Blues bid to cement a Super 15 rugby playoff spot when they face the Highlanders in Auckland tomorrow night.

For Williams, his eye-catching performance in the Blues' defeat to the Crusaders in the battle for the New Zealand conference leadership last Saturday night is in the past.

So, too, is the fact that the 23-16 result in Timaru marked the fourth loss in a row for the Auckland-based franchise.

"We're week by week," Williams said.

"Last week was last week, and this week we're facing the Highlanders. We're as good as gold. We're excited and we're keen to go."

The 61-test All Black is starting to hit his straps in his comeback season after two achilles injuries sidelined him for the much of the previous two years.

Over March and April, he also had to overcome a hamstring complaint that forced him to miss four matches.

While he was prominent against the Crusaders, especially in the lineouts, Williams played down his performance.

"It was all right, but there's still a lot to work on," he said.

"There's still errors that you probably wouldn't see just watching as a spectator, but you would more as a coach. That was last week. This week has got to be better again."

The Blues won their previous meeting against the Highlanders 15-10 thanks to the boot of Luke McAlister, who landed five penalties.

That win in Dunedin in late April was part of nine-match unbeaten run that took the Blues to the top of the table.

Their dip in results over the past month sees them lying fourth going into the last round of the regular season.

The logjam at the top means they could finish as high as second, if they win and the Stormers and the Crusaders fall to upsets against the Cheetahs and the Hurricanes respectively.

But there is also the chance, albeit a slim one, that they could drop out of the top six if they lose and other results go against them.

The Highlanders' own playoff hopes were dashed by their 33-7 defeat to the New South Wales Waratahs last weekend.

Williams didn't believe the scoreline in Sydney did the southerners justice and he expected the Blues to have a battle on their hands at Eden Park.

He rated the Highlanders' lineout, which will have All Black Tom Donnelly and the impressive Jarrod Hoeata as starting locks, as one of the tougher ones in the competition.

The Highlanders would also have nothing to lose "and a team that plays with no fear of the result is very dangerous".

Because of his injuries, Williams, 30, last wore the All Black jersey at the end of 2008.

He said he hadn't given any thought to the chances of his name being read out when the first test squad of the year is announced on July 10.

"To be honest, if you start thinking about it, you go backwards," he said.

"What will be, will be. I can only control the controllables and that's this weekend."

Blues: Jared Payne, Joe Rokocoko, Benson Stanley, Luke McAlister, Lachie Munro, Stephen Brett, Chris Smylie, Peter Saili, Luke Braid, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu (captain), Charlie Faumuina. Reserves: Tom McCartney, Tevita Mailau, Chris Lowrey, Sean Polwart, Alby Mathewson, Winston Stanley, Sherwin Stowers.

Highlanders: Ben Smith, Matt Saunders, Kendrick Lynn, Shaun Treeby, Siale Piutau, Tony Brown, Jimmy Cowan, Nasi Manu, Alando Soakai, Adam Thomson, Tom Donnelly, Jarrad Hoeata, Chris King, Jason Rutledge, Jamie Mackintosh (captain). Reserves: Mo Schwalger, Bronson Murray, Josh Bekhuis, Nick Crosswell, Aaron Smith, Robbie Robinson, Telusa Veainu.

- NZPA