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Sonny Bill Williams is the key to winning

It may be necessary for Sonny Bill Williams to wait on the All Blacks’ bench, as Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith are expected to maintain their effective midfield partnership throughout the Tri Nations.

Rugby commentator Tony Johnson posits that the only significant question regarding the All Blacks’ backline is the composition of their back three.

Against the Springboks, Williams will be substituted in, and Johnson indicates that the Crusaders’ star may find himself in a similar role against the Wallabies the following weekend.

“I think they’re (All Blacks) going to opt for the Smith-Nonu duo because that partnership has been highly effective for them over the years,” Johnson commented on Fox Sports’ The Rugby Club.

“It’s a tried-and-true combination, but having Sonny Bill Williams available off the bench is a huge advantage.

“That’s just my instinctive thought right now.”

While the Nonu-Smith midfield pair has historically brought significant success to the All Blacks, both players encountered difficulty regaining form in this year’s Super Rugby competition.

Conversely, Williams developed an impressive midfield synergy with Crusaders teammate Robbie Fruean, as the two strong ball runners created considerable issues for opposing defenses.

The former NRL star consistently outperformed Nonu across numerous key statistics, with his signature offload leading to some dazzling tries for the Crusaders.

On average, Williams made 8.9 runs per game, whereas Nonu recorded only 6.7, leading to a substantial lead for the Crusaders centre in average metres gained as well.

Williams averaged 73.1 metres per game, in stark contrast to Nonu’s mere 47.

Although the Nonu and Smith combination isn’t definite, All Blacks coach Graham Henry seems to currently prefer the Hurricanes pair.

At some point during the Tri Nations, Williams is bound to earn a chance to start, and his distinctive offload could be too enticing for Henry to overlook as he fine-tunes his starting XV in preparation for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Buford Balony says: Let’s hope this is accurate, because SBW is far and away the best centre in Rugby.

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