Williams debate will run and run

Hello. Remember me? I'm the fellow who said I thought the best finisher in Wales was a Williams but Martyn not Shane. The Six Nations is over, the Triple Crown and Grand Slam won and the celebrations have (almost) died down. Allow me to return to the subject.

What I said was not meant to be particularly argumentative, though it certainly sparked an outpouring of support, mainly for Shane though one or two voices were in agreement with me. It was my view that Martyn, with far fewer chances, scored more often than Shane with many more. It was my view that Shane fell over rather too often, dropped the ball more than he should, sometimes show-boated (those swallow-dives) and in general while scoring a lot of tries and creating all sorts of panic in whoever he was playing against did not score as many tries as he should.

His total in Test matches is up to 41, a record for Wales. He scored six in the Six Nations. That darting run down the touchline against Scotland and the brilliant one against Ireland were top drawer. Shane did what he does best: he mesmerised the opposition with his speed of foot, his acceleration and his elusiveness. Did he save his best for last because the way he danced between Clerc and Traille and outpaced Anthony Floch to score Wales's first try in the Grand Slam decider was quintessentially Shane Williams, mischievous and cheeky.

On Sunday on Scrum V, that excellent rugby programme on BBC Wales television, Justin Marshall sang Williams's praises. "I have seen a few players" the former New Zealander scrum half now playing so well for the Ospreys, said "and I have never seen someone with such fast foot-speed." By that he did not mean speed over the ground but simply the ability to get into his stride instantly and confuse those trying to attack him by remarkably quick footwork. Some accolade that coming from a great All Black. 

There was an unspoken "but" in there but we will let that go. I do not disagree with what Marshall said. The only player I have seen in a half century of watching rugby who might rival Williams for deception and speed of foot is Jason Robinson. There have been faster wings - there are faster wings playing now - bigger wings and stronger wings but none able to get up to full speed so quickly, to change direction so quickly, to be able to avoid tackles so well as Shane.

But, but. but. I won't say anything more here for the moment. I will leave it to Warren Gatland who is currently having a golden honeymoon in his job as Wales coach. "You know what is interesting about Shane Williams in this Championship is that he has not made a single mistake," Gatland said on Sunday. "Before I would have had reasons to talk to him, about passing a 50-50 ball, about over-running a pass, about losing the ball in contact or losing his footing. But in this championship he has been magnificent."

That's my point. Up to this championship I felt that Shane Williams, good as he was, was prone not to score tries when he could have done so. In this championship I, like Gatland, have been open-mouthed with admiration at his desire to get his hands on the ball, his zest for running, his elusiveness. Brian Habana, the South African who races cheetahs (and loses) is faster, Aurelien Rougerie, the Frenchman who towers over Williams by eight inches and weighs 2 1/2 stone more is taller and heavier and Lesley Vianikoli is bigger, stronger, probably slower and certainly resembles an aircraft carrier when trying to move in full flight compared with the darting movements of Williams.

At the moment Williams is better than any of them. His strike rate in the Six Nations was magnificent. He was a game changer for Wales. Let us praise Williams for the way he is now and hope that he carries on playing as well as this for the rest of this season, on Wales's two-Test tour of South Africa in June and all next season.

Just one thing though. Who was it who won the man of the match award at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday? A Williams, to be sure. But Martyn not Shane.

Comments

[deri thomas]

How can you possibly put jason robinson in the same category as shane williams? The tries that shane scored this tournament are complately out of robinsons league and ability. On lions 2005 shane williams and jason robinson both played on the wing against manawatu and shane williams score 5 tries to robinsons 0. Youv'e mentioned that shane williams has a tendency of wasting opportunities. I think the number of tries in that match speaks for itself about shanes opportunity taking.

[Glenn]

John,
open-side flankers primarily role is to secure ball from broken play, something Martyn Williams has repeatedly failed to do in this 6 Nations (see the stats on Welsh loss of possession at the breakdown). Maybe it is this failure to perform this basic requirement (watch Richie McCaw, widely acknowledged as the best no7 in world rugby) that has left him with the energy to go for the glory of scoring tries.
Ask anyone who knows about forward play (this excludes Stuart Barnes) and they will go for the ball winner versus the try scorer every time.

[Mike Camb]

Sorry John, misquoting Justin Marshall is very poor form. There is no "BUT" from Marshall is says he's the best player he's ever seen on his feet as a runner with an ability to beat anoher player. I suggest your readers go to this link to see for themselves
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/sol/newsid_7300000/newsid_7301000?redirect=7301064.stm&news=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1

[Promit C]

I commented on your last article, saying that my criticism of Shane was losing the ball in contact. I don't think he'd done that even once in the whole six nations. You're right, he has had a couple of minor shortcomings before, but hopefully (and very possibly) under Gatland and Edwards he will become the undisputed best wing in the world.

[j lewis]

This is a pathetic debate just because they have the same surname. Plus they both have diferent jobs on the pitch so why compare them? They are both world class players in their own right.

Why don't we start a debate on who the best Jones in the team! Clearly, Stephen is a much better player than Ryan because he's kicked more goals than him!

Dear Mr. Hopkins, please stick to golf journalism if this is the best you can come up with.

[Ian]

Hopkins takes up the ball again. Within sight of the line, he drops it. Again. The Hopkins debate will run and run.

[Richard]

"Implied but" I saw that interview on Scrum V with Marshall and there was no implied but. So go on Mr Hopkins what was this implied but?

[David James]

If I were a coach of a rugby team and was allowed to sign one player from the 6N, there is no contest as to who it would be. It is the guy who almost single-handedly brought the Ospreys back from a rout in the EDF final last season. It is the guy who scores tries that no other winger could score. It is the guy who, if he had been in Cueto's shoes in the RWC final, would definately have scored the try, probably under the posts.

[Matthew]

Keep digging John.

[Leighton Williams]

Stick to golf John, you really are making yourself look a fool.

[G Davies]

John, thanks for coming back to this theme (I'm the Gwilym who posted on one of the blogs yesterday; and the G Davies who responded to your first article on this). It may be that Shane Williams is in the form of his life, and that come next season he'll be losing the ball in contact again, getting turned, throwing wild forward passes... A return to the frustrations of the Millennium Stadium 12 months ago. But if he's reaching his peak, he might very well go on and tear up a few more records before he hangs up his shimmering boots! On the merits of this Championship alone, though? Dazzling.