Munster and Irish rugby fans can enjoy one last look at the barnstorming Wallaby World Cup winner Jim Williams in his last outing for the ACT Brumbies against the Lions in Canberra today (kick-off 7.30p.m. local time, 10.30a.m. Irish time) before he links up with Munster next season.
The 32-year-old back rower yesterday confirmed that he was bound for the Irish provincial champions and accordingly Williams has been made captain of the Super 12 champions in his last outing for the Brumbies.
Recommended to Munster by John Langford to fill the void of an experienced Wallaby which Langford's departure created, Williams in turn admitted yesterday that "talking to John was a big factor in me deciding to join Munster."
Another important factor, Williams conceded, was the way Munster had consistently competed at European Cup level for the last two seasons.
"I wanted to join a team who were competitive all the time and Munster's record in the European Cup for the past two seasons showed me they were the kind of team I was looking for."
Williams was an inspirational figure in the Australian A side's win over the Lions in Gosford and the manner in which the Gosford crowd took to him that night suggests he will quickly become something of a cult figure in Thomond Park along with the Irish provincial champions' other new recruit, Rob Henderson.
ACT coach Eddie Jones said yesterday: "Jimmy has made a huge contribution to the Brumbies over the past three years. He's set a fine example to the younger players in our team and I'm sure they'd like to see him finish with a performance he can be proud of."
Williams is one of five ACT players who were in their victorious starting line-up which won the Super 12 final by 36-6 against the Natal Sharks at the end of May, the others being centres James Holbeck and Graeme Bond, flanker Peter Ryan and lock Justin Harrison.
As the great upstarts of Australian rugby in the professional era, who quickly swept past the more traditional powers of Queensland and New South Wales, the Brumbies have something of a chip on their shoulder, and there appears to be a slight us-against -the-rest-of-the-country attitude.
Witness the pre-Super 12 final rumpus in which ACT players complained of being treated as second-class citizens, with the rest of Australian rugby in turn considering ACT seemingly rather arrogant.
To further underline the importance of this game to the Brumbies, they've recently completed a preparatory three-match tour of New Zealand under Jones, Macqueen's successor in waiting who also masterminded the Australia A win over the Lions.
"We respect their ability and don't underestimate the size of the challenge ahead of us," said Jones, "but Australia A showed there is a way to beat them and we'll be trying to do the same tomorrow night."
Just a couple of very long days ago, the Brumbies might even have been expected to win given the apparent troubles in the Lions camp and especially within their second-string team. There's no doubt that Matt Dawson's expressions of anger over the way the tour has been managed and coached touched a nerve, and to same degree at least represented the views of a good chunk of the squad.
However Dawson's comments were always going to be interpreted as sour grapes to some extent, especially after Saturday's first test victory, which has rather put it up to the dirt-trackers, as they themselves are only too well aware. Dawson himself will be under more pressure than any other of this selection to put up or shut up.
Then again, Dawson could play a perfect match and it wouldn't make any difference as regards the test XV given that, at best, he would only be emulating Rob Howley's brilliant performance against the Wallabies last Saturday.
Injuries to Matt Perry and to Neil Back, coupled with Colin Charvis' suspension, have obliged the Lions management to not only play some of last Saturday's test 22, but also one of the test starting players, Martin Corry.
Their resources down to the bare bones, the Lions management have gambled on going into this game without any back-row cover on the bench, suggesting that if push comes to shove Jeremy Davidson may have to switch from there. Significantly though, as well as Malcolm O'Kelly, Martin Johnson has been named on the bench.
This must be interpreted as a statement of intents to some degree, and further puts it up to Dawson and the rest of the malcontents in the squad that if the inspirational captain can risk putting his body on the line one additional time, then this is no time for shirking one's duty as a Lion. His presence in the 22 and the dressing-room can only be a boon as well.
As their captain Dai Young admitted yesterday when making all the right noises on their behalf, the dirt-trackers are mindful that this may be their last game of the tour. Furthermore, the likes of David Wallace, Davidson or Malcolm O'Kelly could be vying for the place on the bench in Melbourne next Saturday which Charvis' suspension has created, regardless of whether Neil Back recovers or not.
In any event, there are enough spurs there to redeem themselves.
Not entirely unexpectedly, it looks as if the Wallabies' outhalf Stephen Larkham, who was ruled out of the last two tests by Rod Macqueen in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's first test, is expected to recover from his elbow injury and thus is likely to be fit for next Saturday's second test in Melbourne after all.
(ACT +13pts) 10/11 ACT, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Lions.
