1970 New
Zealand rugby was fortunate to have the services of speedy, robust
sidestepping
three-quarter Bryan Williams.
What`s
going on...
From 1970 New Zealand rugby teams included Bryan
Williams, right up to 1978
He was an excellent
sidestepper, but played an unusual role in what many consider
to be the greatest try
of all time.
Bryan Williams was
playing for the All Blacks in 1973 against the Barbarians. He kicked the ball gathered and
carried by Phil Bennett as he sidestepped several All
Blacks to start the movement which resulted in the try.
Three-quarter
Play
"New
Zealand Rugby Skills & Tactics" Lansdowne Press,
1982 is an excellent book. It contains a huge amount of valuable rugby
information still relevent today.
"Three-quarter Play" is
the title of a section written by Bryan
Williams which describes the skills required and
the roles played by the members of the group of players known as "the
three-quarters".
In this section he also describes how to side-step
and mentions that he no longer practices because it became instinctive.
1970s
New Zealand rugby action
YouTube holds a compilation
featuring both Grant Batty and Bryan Williams.
A
number of side-steps
can be seen. One is at
3:16 when number 13 Williams beats a covering defender.
At
3:26 in the
clip, after "Fourth Test Ellis Park Johannesburg"... ...
Williams does some great evasive running.
It
includes two sidesteps
in the ingoal area! Williams does them so he can put the
ball down to score between the posts.
At 4:51 in the clip,
after "All Blacks v Eastern Province 1970"... ...Williams is
again brilliant.
He cleverly back-heels
the ball into open space, runs, gathers the ball then beats a number of players
before touching down for a great individual try.