WELLINGTON – Powerful centres Damian de Allende and Sonny Bill Williams collide today as the Stormers take on the Chiefs in a heavyweight Super Rugby clash.
Rather than focusing on a clash of giant packs, much attention falls on the duel between the rival inside centres who are putting their stamp on the competition.
Code-hopper Williams has had an immediate impact after his return to rugby, leading the off-loads table with Israel Folau on nine, and second on the list of try assists.
But Williams, 29, will also be keen to make amends for conceding the last-minute penalty which sank the Chiefs 20-17 against the Highlanders in the previous round.
For Stormers coach Allister Coetzee, the plan to cope with Williams is simple: go low, and tackle him out of the game.
“If you go high, Sonny Bill can bounce you off and runs over you,” he told the Iol Sport website.
“It’s the simple thing: if you chop his legs, he will only have one way of offloading —— from the ground.”
