Williams caps 50th test with superb performance in win

By Adrian Bathgate

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand lock Ali Williams started his 50th test against South Africa under an injury cloud having twisted his right ankle against England two weeks ago.

However, there was no sign of the 27 year-old shying away from the painful joint as he put in a couple of towering punts in a solid all-round performance as part of his team's 19-8 Tri-Nations win at the Westpac Stadium.

The match was a physical affair not helped by wet and windy conditions, and South Africa's defence was bruising, with players throwing themselves into tackles and the breakdown.

"It was very physical, there was a lot of heat from both teams," Williams told reporters.

There was also plenty of action off-the-ball, late tackles and pushing and shoving, as well as a brawl in the sixth minute which involved a fair number of players.

"That's rugby," Williams said. "If you're not going to compete physically then you're going to get pushed around."

With the All Blacks' inspirational captain Richie McCaw out injured, much of New Zealand's pre-match talk had been about the need for the experienced players in the forward pack to step into the gap.

Coach Graham Henry said Williams was part of an outstanding forward effort, which he said showed a lot character.