No handbags required for Williams
May 27 2008
Crusaders and All Black lock Ali Williams has turned from rugby hero to sheriff by wading in and breaking up a fight in Christchurch.
Williams and a couple of Crusaders team-mates were out celebrating their team's Super 14 semi-final win over the Hurricanes on Saturday night, when they came upon a fracas in the inner city.
The incident follows a similar instance in 2006 and in the same city when Hurricanes forward Chris Masoe was hit over the head with a handbag by Tana Umaga following a scuffle in a Christchurch pub.
However, no handbags were required on this occasion after Williams' actions were captured on film and shown on One News on Tuesday.
The big lock, no stranger to off-field misbehaviour himself, is shown getting in amongst a group of five or six brawling young men, and stopping the fight.
Max Rooney, the man who filmed Williams on his mobile phone, said there were a group of people aged about 20 to 25 arguing and then a brawl broke out.
"Then Ali Williams rushed up and saved the day," he said.
Afterward he posed for a picture with Rooney's girlfriend.
Williams played down his role, saying anyone else would have done the same.
The big lock ended six seasons with the Blues in controversial fashion last year, walking away from the franchise following a rift with coach David Nucifora.
Williams was sent home from South Africa last year ahead of the Blues' semi-final as punishment for off-field misdemeanours.