Sonny Bill Williams will make his first start for Canterbury
in their national provincial championship rugby match against
Northland in Whangarei on Saturday.
Williams has been named at second five-eighth and will get a
chance to build on his impressive debut off the bench in the
win against Bay of Plenty last Friday, when he was a first
half substitute for Ryan Crotty.
The sprained left foot Crotty sustained in that match ruled
him out of contention this week.
Williams is one of six changes to Canterbury's starting
lineup.
Hooker Steve Fualau, prop Peter Borlase and lock Luke Romano
replace Corey Flynn, Owen Franks and Sam Whitelock, who are
in Sydney with the All Blacks ahead of their Tri-Nations
match against Australia on Saturday.
No 8 Ash Parker replaces for Nasi Manu, who injured an ankle
against Bay of Plenty, and Patrick Osborne starts on the
right wing in place of Tu Umaga-Marshall, who injured a
shoulder in the same match.
The team have been visiting refuge centres and helping with
the clean-up following the earthquake in the region last
weekend and assistant coach Tabai Matson said it was
important they now turned their focus to the Northland match.
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