NZ View: Sonny Bill Williams praised as All Blacks win Rugby World Cup opener

SONNY Bill Williams has silenced his critics with a star turn off the bench in the All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup win over Argentina. NZ View!

New Zealand v Argentina - Group C: Rugby World Cup 2015

SONNY Bill Williams has silenced his critics with a star turn off the bench in the All Blacks’ 26-16 Rugby World Cup win over Argentina.

New Zealand was breathing an enormous sigh of relief on Monday after the defending champions rallied after a sloppy start.

It threatened to be the second major boilover of the tournament as the Pumas led 13-12 at halftime, but in the end there was no repeat of the Springboks’ shock loss.

It was never going to be a walk in the park for the all-conquering All Blacks, given they had not played in more than a month.

But the rust and undisciplined start to the match certainly would have had the blood pressure of the usually unflappable coach Steve Hansen higher than usual.

In the end, strong showings from the All Blacks’ bench proved too much for the Pumas, with New Zealand’s media picking out code-hopping international Williams for high praise.

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Sonny Bill Williams makes a break during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool C match against Argentina.

Writing for the New Zealand Herald, Patrick McKendry said: “This wasn’t so much a bullet dodged by the All Blacks, but a blue-and-white striped missile.

“And, with both Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith in the sinbin at the end of the first half and Argentina holding a 13-9 lead, a defeat looked a very real possibility.

“The breaks, almost non existent in the first half thanks the tigerish defence, started appearing, with Williams and Beauden Barrett creating many of them.

“Williams in particular was outstanding — charging at the line and playing with an energy that was at a different level to his teammates.”

McKendry’s colleague at the NZ Herald Gregor Paul concurred.

“The bench more than played its part in that and no one more so than Sonny Bill Williams,” Paul wrote.

“A sad shadow of his usual self the last time he wore black, he was the man around whom the All Blacks built their revival. He was direct, strong and measured, using his offload well.

“And they needed that revival because the wheels felt awfully close to falling off in those last 15 minutes of the first half. The comfort level had dropped to zero — there the All Blacks were with all the possession and territory and yet just a two-point lead to show for it.”

World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry was effusive in his praise of Williams.

“Sonny Bill Williams should have been man of the match in my opinion,” Henry told the Paul Henry Show.

“He opened the game up, he offloaded, he broke up the Argentinians.”

Williams has had an up and down season and many commentators were questioning his place in New Zealand’s 31-man squad.

But the inside centre made the most of his opportunity as Hansen brought him on in place of Ma’a Nonu early in the second half.

Fairfax Media’s Toby Robson wrote that Williams and the bench brigade were the difference.

“What will Sonny Bill Williams’ critics say now?” Robson asked.

“The most maligned player in the All Blacks’ World Cup squad took the most decisive first step of the tournament as the defending champions worked their way out of a valuable arm wrestle with the Pumas.

“In a week where the minnows have stood up to be counted, the All Blacks provided a reminder that their depth has immeasurable value.

“Coach Steve Hansen’s bench was collectively influential.

“Props Wyatt Crockett and Charlie Faumuina added direct grunt, Beauden Barrett zipped and spun in style, [Sam] Cane scored, and Williams added the X-factor before icing his efforts with a settling kick to the corner.

“Defence has become a puzzle in the opening days of the tournament and New Zealand are among those who need to quickly work it out.”

Charlie Faumuina was praised by New Zealand’s media after his impact off the bench.

Robson’s colleague Liam Napier focused on New Zealand’s undisciplined opening, with captain Richie McCaw and backline leader Conrad Smith both sin-binned.

“McCaw now needs to be careful,” Napier wrote.

“In his role as openside flanker the boundaries are constantly pushed and if he concedes two more yellow cards in the All Blacks next three pool matches he will be forced to front an automatic disciplinary hearing, as per tournament rules, and risks potential suspension.

“Both yellow cards for the All Blacks from Barnes, who also dished out one to the Pumas, were fully justified and McCaw’s men did well to recover in the second half.”

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen didn’t cut his captain any slack, delivering the same summary he would for any player in his team.

“The two yellow cards today were pretty dumb,” Hansen said.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw walks off the pitch after receiving a yellow card against Argentina.

Stuff.co.nz’s Richard Knowler said the scrappy win was a timely wake-up call for the world’s No 1 team.

“Now the All Blacks know how difficult this World Cup is going to be when they get to the sudden-death phase next month,” Knowler wrote.

“Their 26-16 victory over Argentina at London’s Wembley Stadium in front of 89,000 fans — a record for a World Cup match — wasn’t comprehensive, or terribly convincing, but a win is a win and for that all New Zealand rugby fans will be thankful.

“The facts are this: for the first 67 minutes, until replacement flanker Sam Cane scored his side’s second try, the New Zealanders looked rusty and rattled as they bombed at least two tries and were unable to tame a ferocious Pumas scrum.

“Yet it was the issues of the All Blacks’ discipline — or lack of it — that will receive plenty of airtime around the city of London this week.

“There could be no criticising [referee Wayne] Barnes’ judgment; he was well within his rights to send them to the cooler.”

Originally published as NZ View: Sonny Bill Williams praised as All Blacks win Rugby World Cup opener