Australia’s quiet new pack leader doesn’t care what the haters think
Updated . First published at
Jeremy Williams has gone from being the new kid on the block to senior second row statesman as the Wallabies kick off a new era for rugby against Ireland on Saturday night.
Williams, 25-years-old with 25 Test caps to his name, had a traditional rugby education through Sydney’s The Scots College and Eastern Suburbs.
Jeremy Williams during training at Ballymore Stadium. Getty
His professional start came with his hometown NSW Waratahs but a move across the Nullarbor really ignited his career.
Now the Western Force captain, Williams was the only Wallabies player to pull on the gold jersey for all 15 Tests last season.
A quiet achiever, the 198cm lock now finds himself as one of Australia’s most important players following coach Joe Schmidt’s surprise roll of the dice at the selection table.
Battle-hardened duo Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (45 caps) and Nick Frost (37) were shock omissions from the inaugural Nations Championship squad, while ex-captain Will Skelton (37) is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Frost paid the price for an underwhelming Super Rugby campaign but Salakaia-Loto’s absence was baffling after being named in the competition’s official team of the season.
It leaves Williams working with two-Test man Josh Canham (Queensland Reds) and uncapped duo Miles Amatosero (Waratahs) and Lachie Shaw (ACT Brumbies) while Tom Hooper (22 Tests) is an option if not picked at blindside flanker.
“I don’t really think we care what people think or if people are underestimating us,” Williams told reporters at the team’s Double Bay hotel.
“We’ve got full belief in our team and our system. And we’ve got confidence in each other to go out there and do a job. And I think we’ve shown that at training the last few days.”
Williams is sporting a black eye after coming off second best in a training collision with the granite-like Rob Valetini.
Amatosero is also no shrinking violet and infamously broke the jaw of Waratahs teammate Angus Scott-Young in a January preseason scrap.
Not that he would ever publicly say otherwise, but Williams said both Amatosero and Shaw appeared ready, if picked, to take on the world’s No.3 side at a sold-out Allianz Stadium.
“They’ve been awesome. It takes a little bit of time to pick up on all the terminology in the plays and getting used to a new environment,” he said.
“I think they’ve really hit the ground running, come in, added really nicely. They’re confident and, yeah, they’ve been really good...
“Everyone’s adding and contributing. Obviously, we’ve got Josh and Shawie who have called it (lineout) for their respective Super clubs as well. So they’ve got quite a lot of experience there.
Miles Amatosero speaks to the media. Getty Images
“It’s been really good to have those guys in the group and even Miles as well, like a really big body and really physical around the park. So I don’t think it has been too much change...
“There’s always probably a little bit of adjustment period when you go into a new environment, learning terminology and the way things are done. But they’ve really hit the ground running and they’ve been awesome the last few days, really picked up on the knowledge quickly.”
Schmidt and Ireland rival Andy Farrell will name their teams on Thursday.
Wallabies squad: Allan Alaalatoa, Miles Amatosero, Angus Bell, Charlie Cale, Josh Canham, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Aidan Ross, Lachlan Shaw, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson, Jock Campbell, Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Josh Flook, Carter Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, Declan Meredith, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Kalani Thomas, Corey Toole, Tom Wright
Ireland squad: Tadhg Beirne, Billy Bohan, Thomas Clarkson, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Sam Illo, Cormac Izuchukwu, Sean Jansen, Rónan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Joe McCarthy, Darragh Murray, Tom O’Toole, Cian Prendergast, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Tom Stewart, Nick Timoney, Josh van der Flier, Bundee Aki, Rob Baloucoune, Harry Byrne, Craig Casey, Nathan Doak, Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, Stuart McCloskey, Jimmy O’Brien, Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Sam Prendergast, Garry Ringrose, Jacob Stockdale
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