Super Rugby: Nervous Sonny Bill Williams ordered to 'relax' as Blues break losing streak

Sonny Bill Williams captained the Blues in their win over the Sunwolves. Photo / Getty Images

The Blues, a win to their name at last this season, now have a bye – a relief to virtually everyone at the franchise apart from midfielder Sonny Bill Williams, a player who distinguished himself as captain against the Sunwolves and just wants to keep going.

Williams, handed the leadership duties at North Harbour's QBE Stadium in the absence of rested All Black lock Patrick Tuipulotu, was so determined to do the right thing by his team as they attempted to honour the memory of Mike Tamoeiata that he was told to calm down at times by referee Mike Fraser and even some of his teammates.

"I won't lie, I was a bit nervous… Mike the ref understood that," Williams said. "I was at him a few times, probably too much, but he let me know just to relax and even some of the boys told me to relax."

The 33-year-old has had little captaincy experience despite his well-travelled rugby and league career but he played a crucial role in steadying the nerves of his teammates as they got off to an uncertain start against a team who upset the Chiefs in Hamilton the week before.

And as an important part of the All Blacks midfield, Williams' workload will be carefully monitored with the World Cup approaching.

His start in the 28-20 victory over the Sunwolves was his second in four matches – he was a replacement in the two others – but he is one who probably needs more game time, not less. A little rust remains. He admitted to being culpable for losing the ball several times but his carries and offloads became more influential as the game wore on.

"The last couple of years have been injury ravaged," Williams said. "I just want to keep playing. I know at the All Blacks I think we have a stand-down period or whatever it is but I just want to keep playing because it's been a long tough road the last couple of years so it's good to get some minutes under my belt.

"I'd like to still play next week but that's how the chips have fallen."

One player who is definitely due for a rest is left wing Rieko Ioane. Saturday's game was his fourth start in succession but his performance in scoring four tries showed why coach Leon MacDonald needed him on the field.

Such is his class and ability to find his way to the tryline that he elevates this team enormously, but MacDonald, under the watchful eyes of the All Blacks coaches, will have to take Ioane out of the mix at some stage.

Even despite Ioane's four tries and the dominance of their scrum and big advantage in terms of the penalty count, it always felt like the Blues were tiptoeing along a cliff edge to this important victory. The relief was evident at the final whistle.

"There was some really good stuff along with a little bit of loose stuff, but overall it was a really good collective effort and they ground it out," said MacDonald.

"[The win] was important on a number of fronts because we haven't been far away and even today there was a little foot in touch and a kick just under the crossbar, a maul that was over the line. We've been about an inch short.

"We just have to keep working on our game every week. It's been impressive. With all the distractions and travel, the guys have been really committed to getting better.

"I don't think we started well. There was a lot of emotion and we were a bit frantic and made a lot of errors. Sonny did a great job in trying to get the guys to calm down.

"He was really good right throughout the whole week."

Asked about the timing of the bye following the recent travel load and emotional toll of having to perform despite the recent sudden death of Tamoeiata, MacDonald said: "Fantastic timing for everybody, staff included. Everyone has been working very hard so it will be good to take a couple of days off."

Not for Williams, though.