Through adversity comes opportunity. The Cell C Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams has had his fair share of both in 2022, and he’s emerged the better player for it.
Williams, who was handed a four-week ban in February for an accidental head clash during the Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against the Vodacom Bulls in Durban, made his Springbok debut in the second Test of the July series against Wales in Bloemfontein.
His form last season was rewarded with a call-up to the Bok squad for the away leg of the Rugby Championship in Australia, after Sharks teammate Jaden Hendrikse suffered a leg injury which ended his season.
Having tasted the big time with the national team, Williams was poised to make a big splash back in the Shark Tank during the 2021-22 campaign, but his suspension was a setback that allowed Hendrikse to make the No 9 jersey his own.
Williams is resilient, having had to fight his way up the Sharks food chain from club rugby and the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, and his warrior mindset was evident when he performed as a ‘super sub’ in the Cell C Sharks’ march to the Vodacom URC playoffs.
Speed and a hawk-eye for the half-gap saw the Paarl-born halfback score several breakaway tries last season, such as the incredible five-pointer in a sensational performance against Ulster in Belfast. He also put Marius Louw over for a try that sparked a Sharks fightback that came up just short. And, despite the lack of regular game time, Williams’ versatility – he offers an option at wing, too – earned him a second bite at the Bok cherry.
“Things didn’t always go my way,” Williams said. “I persevered and got through it … it’s healthy competition and I’m enjoying what I’m doing at the moment. It’s about creating the best version of myself.”
A product of Paarl Gym, 26-year-old Williams is the whole package at scrumhalf, though he specialises in adding a lethal tempo to the attack with his lightning service and adds real value as a clever link player.
Though Williams may still burst into the world champions’ match-day 23, for now the Bok pecking order at scrumhalf remains dominated by Hendrikse, Faf de Klerk, Herschel Jantjies and Cobus Reinach.
Hendrikse’s rapid rise at the Boks has created a gap at the Cell C Sharks that Williams has proven he can take.
And opportunities to start in the Vodacom URC while Hendrikse is away is exactly what Williams has been waiting for to cement his place as the premier halfback in Durban.
