All Blacks take Williams gamble

All Black lock Ali Williams has been passed fit to play in the World Cup and has made the journey to Melbourne with the rest of his New Zealand team-mates.

Williams’ participation in the competition had been in doubt as he struggled to recover from a stress fracture of the foot.

However, after taking medical opinion, coach John Mitchell allowed Williams to board the flight from Auckland today even though he will not be able to call for a replacement should his mighty second-row, who would have been deemed to be injured before he set off, break down again.