Shane Williams' feeling the pain but is determined to shine again

Chris Jones
11 Jun 2009

Sharks 3-39 Lions

Shane Williams has admitted that the pressure and expectation of carrying the mantle of world player of the year is affecting his form.

The winger looked out of sorts again last night as his Welsh team-mate Mike Phillips powered the Lions to a morale-boosting 39-3 victory over the Sharks in Durban.

While many of his colleagues were cementing their places in the starting line-up for the First Test with South Africa on 20 June, Williams looks an increasingly forlorn figure.

He was, at least, better than in his previous outing against the Cheetahs when he threw a loose pass which the opposition intercepted and it nearly cost the Lions their unbeaten record.

Williams is unfailingly honest about his current form and said: "I am enjoying my rugby even if things don't go my way and I am not going to stay in bed and cry myself to sleep for 24 hours - I am going to work at it.

"This is one of the toughest tours that you are ever going to experience and I didn't expect for one second that this season was going to be like last season. That was almost a one-off that I couldn't have dreamt about and saw me win the award.

"I knew people would be ready to pounce on me if things didn't go right and I do feel the pressure on and off the pitch but I will become a better player if I can cope with that.

"It's what I am trying to do at the moment. I am not trying to get the ball every time it comes from a ruck because I am being man-marked and I have to learn to deal with that and not force things. I have to give myself a slap when I do take a backward step.

"I am working my socks off over here and I am not letting any comments affect me. The day I don't enjoy it, I will hang my boots up and if I could be part of a Test team that beat the Springboks then it would be the cherry on the cake. There are a lot of guys putting their hands up for Test places and it will be an anxious week and a half until the management reveal the team."

Despite not setting the tour alight, Williams is able to cling onto the hope of selection because head coach Ian McGeechan has been true to his word and given every player ample opportunity to prove themselves.

While Williams was struggling, scrum-half Phillips - who produced a stunning solo try as the touring team scored 32 unanswered second-half points - Lee Byrne, Brian O'Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Gethin Jenkins, Lee Mears, Paul O'Connell, Alun-Wyn Jones, Jamie Heaslip, Tom Croft and David Wallace all enhanced their chance of making the team.

But Williams, fellow wing Luke Fitzgerald, Ronan O'Gara and Adam Jones are unlikely to feature in the Test side. There was, however, an important 20- minute contribution from Simon Shaw, who gave a reminder of the imposing power and physicality that he can bring to any match. The main problem for Shaw is that he is trying to break up the new lock partnership of O'Connell and Jones which is a tall order given one is the captain of the tour and the other a highly effective line-out forward.

The focus now switches to Saturday's match with Western Province in Cape Town when the remaining places will be filled and the Lions head south with a warning from Sharks coach John Plumtree.

He was in charge of Wellington when they played the 2005 Lions in New Zealand and said: "This is an infinitely better Lions squad but the scrums could be a problem because both teams are going to want to take it down."

Referee Jonathan Kaplan did the Lions no favours at all last night and dealing with different interpretations is a recurring problem for McGeechan's men, who did find life easier at the breakdown where Wallace competed strongly on the ground.

The driving maul was also ineffective again and this time the Lions found it impossible to generate momentum because the opposition were allowed to illegally drag it down.

McGeechan is maintaining a diplomatic stance and insisted he "will speak to the officials" about these issues, which threaten to denude the Lions in areas where they could seriously hurt the Springboks.

The watching world champions would have been impressed by Phillips, and also the power and pace of Roberts in the centre who, thankfully, appears to have suffered only muscle bruising to his right shoulder. But the Lions cannot afford any more serious injuries.

Boys on tour

Donncha O'Callaghan is always up for a laugh. He is the man who on the 2005 Lions tour pulled ex-Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell's tracksuit bottoms down as he was about to step on stage to address the media. The Munster lock was up to his tricks again at a tour reception with partner in crime Joe Worsley. When introduced to guests, they shook them by the hand and then bear-hugged them, just long enough not to be offensive. It was expertly delivered and begs the question: How does he think these things up?

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