A lock that is happy to graft away doing the more traditional tasks associated with the role, Williams' attacking skills with the ball-in-hand are also a valuable
component to his game.
First picked for the Blues in 2002, Williams made his debut for the All Blacks in the same year. Since then he has become an invaluable member of the Blues and the All Blacks.
Williams was one of the stand-out performers during the 2005 DHL New Zealand Lions Series, especially in the All Blacks first-up victory in challenging conditions in Christchurch, and scored two tries over the course of the Series.
As well as Williams’ traditional tight-five abilities, his attacking skills with the ball-in-hand are a valuable component of the All Blacks’ forward play, and his all-round athleticism makes him an effective lineout jumper, especially competing on the opposition’s throw.
In 2008, Ali moved to Christchurch where he joined the Crusaders in winning their seventh Super Rugby Title. It was there that Ali started locking with Brad Thorn, a combination that the All Blacks selectors recognised for the range of options the two players present.
Career Notes
•One of only two players, with Dan Carter, to play against Argentina in Buenos Aires and in all six of the All Blacks' 2006 Philips Tri Nations matches.
• Started in all eight of the All Blacks southern hemisphere Tests in 2005 and played in 10 of the year’s Tests in all.
• Has scored as many tries for the All Blacks as he has for Auckland and the Blues combined, in half as many matches.
• Showed his athleticism with his first try for Auckland, scored against Otago after a 30-metre sprint, and again with his third touchdown, which capped off a sprint from beyond halfway.
• Began playing rugby in 1998 as a lock for the Kings College Second XV. He was lock for their First XV in 1999.
• Former Auckland age-group representative in soccer, tennis and cricket.
• Studying for a Bachelor of Business.
New Zealand Representative Teams
All Blacks in 2002–2008
Stats - Below figures correct as at 1 July 2008
Provincial Caps 31
Provincial Points 20 (4t)
Provincial Debut 2001 v Taranaki
Super Rugby Caps 67
Super Rugby Points 20 (4t)
Super Rugby Debut 2002 v Hurricanes
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|
FULL NAME |
Alexander James Williams |
BORN |
Thursday, 30 April 1981 in Auckland |
AGE |
29 |
PHYSICAL |
2.02m, 112kg |
POSITION |
Lock |
LAST SCHOOL |
King's College |
RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from) |
Ponsonby |
PROVINCE |
Auckland |
SUPER 14 TEAM |
Crusaders |
ALL BLACK DEBUT |
Saturday, 9 November 2002
v England at London
aged 21 years, 193 days |
INTERNATIONAL DEBUT |
Saturday, 9 November 2002
v England at London
aged 21 years, 193 days |
LAST TEST |
Saturday, 29 November 2008
v England at London
aged 27 years, 213 days |
ALL BLACK TESTS |
61 (0 as Captain) |
ALL BLACK GAMES |
1 (0 as Captain) |
TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES |
62 (0 as Captain) |
ALL BLACK TEST POINTS |
35pts (7t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m) |
ALL BLACK GAME POINTS |
0pts |
TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS |
35pts (7t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m) |
ALL BLACK NUMBER |
1022 |
|
The All Black Games that Williams played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced |
|
Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card |
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|
2002 |
9 Nov vs England at London 28-31 |
16 Nov vs France at Paris 20-20 |
23 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 43-17 (-) |
2003 |
14 Jun vs England at Wellington 13-15 |
21 Jun vs Wales at Hamilton 55-3 (-) |
28 Jun vs France at Christchurch 31-23 (-) |
19 Jul vs South Africa at Pretoria 52-16 (-) |
26 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 50-21 (-) |
9 Aug vs South Africa at Dunedin 19-11 |
16 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 21-17 |
24 Oct vs Tonga at Brisbane 91-7 |
2 Nov vs Wales at Sydney 53-37 |
8 Nov vs South Africa at Melbourne 29-9 |
15 Nov vs Australia at Sydney 10-22 (-) |
20 Nov vs France at Sydney 40-13 (-) |
2004 |
24 Jul vs South Africa at Christchurch 23-21 (+) |
7 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 18-23 |
13 Nov vs Italy at Rome 59-10 (+) |
20 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 26-25 |
27 Nov vs France at Paris 45-6 (+) |
4 Dec vs Barbarians at London 47-19 |
2005 |
10 Jun vs Fiji at Albany 91-0 (-) |
25 Jun vs British & Irish Lions at Christchurch 21-3 |
2 Jul vs British & Irish Lions at Wellington 48-18 |
9 Jul vs British & Irish Lions at Auckland 38-19 |
6 Aug vs South Africa at Capetown 16-22 |
13 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 30-13 (-) |
27 Aug vs South Africa at Dunedin 31-27 |
3 Sep vs Australia at Auckland 34-24 |
12 Nov vs Ireland at Dublin 45-7 |
19 Nov vs England at London 23-19 (-) |
2006 |
24 Jun vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 25-19 |
8 Jul vs Australia at Christchurch 32-12 (+) |
22 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 35-17 |
29 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 13-9 (-) |
19 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 34-27 (+) |
26 Aug vs South Africa at Pretoria 45-26 |
2 Sep vs South Africa at Rustenberg 20-21 |
11 Nov vs France at Lyon 47-3 |
18 Nov vs France at Paris 23-11 |
25 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 45-10 (-) |
2007 |
2 Jun vs France at Auckland 42-11 |
9 Jun vs France at Wellington 61-10 (-) |
8 Sep vs Italy at Marseille 76-14 (-) |
15 Sep vs Portugal at Lyon 108-13 (-) |
23 Sep vs Scotland at Edinburgh 40-0 (-) |
6 Oct vs France at Cardiff 18-20 |
2008 |
7 Jun vs Ireland at Wellington 21-11 |
14 Jun vs England at Auckland 37-20 |
21 Jun vs England at Christchurch 44-12 (-) |
5 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 19-8 |
12 Jul vs South Africa at Dunedin 28-30 (-) |
26 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 19-34 |
2 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 39-10 |
16 Aug vs South Africa at Cape Town 19-0 |
3 Sep vs Samoa at New Plymouth 101-14 |
13 Sep vs Australia at Brisbane 28-24 |
1 Nov vs Australia at Hong Kong 19-14 |
8 Nov vs Scotland at Edinburgh 32-6 (-) |
15 Nov vs Ireland at Dublin 22-3 |
22 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 29-9 |
29 Nov vs England at London 32-6 |
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