Sharks’ Grant Williams a real contender for Bok World Cup squad: Powell

As the battle for spots in the Springbok squad to defend the Rugby World Cup title later this year continues, Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell says his scrumhalf Grant Williams is a real contender to be included.

The World Cup is set to take place in France from September and a lot of players are doing their best to get the attention of national team selectors.

Williams has been one of those players and put in another solid performance on Saturday, though that was not enough to help the Sharks avoid a 31-24 United Rugby Championship (URC) defeat to Ulster in Durban. The 26-year-old scored one of the Sharks’ four tries.

“He is a brilliant scrumhalf and human being too. I think he means a lot for us as a union,” Powell said.

“He always creates that spark in the team and opportunities. He did it again against Ulster.

“I think he must be a real contender to go to the World Cup. Hopefully he can keep up his performances and earn himself a place in that World Cup squad.”

The Paarl-born player faces stiff competition for a Boks place against Sharks teammate Jaden Hendrikse, and 2019 World Cup-winners Faf de Klerk, Cobus Reinach and Herschel Jantjies.

Powell will hope Williams’s impressive run continues and that he is supported by decent performances from other players, especially the Sharks’ forwards, when they travel to the dangerous Stormers on Saturday (2.30pm).

The Sharks need to do well in their remaining four games to finish in the top four and secure a home quarterfinal.

“It was a disappointing outcome [against Ulster]. We were really hoping to get at least four points. I think at times we let ourselves down with inaccuracies from individuals,” Powell said.

“We scored points and received a restart from them but we failed to relieve the pressure from ourselves. We were more under pressure.

“I think the first 15 minutes was the way we wanted to play Ulster and unfortunately after that water break it felt like we lost the momentum. We gave them too many opportunities just outside our 22.”

Among areas the Sharks need to work on ahead of meeting the Stormers include defending mauls — three of the four tries they conceded against Ulster came from that aspect.

“There’s something we need to get right there,” Powell said. “The Stormers are a really good team and there’s a reason they are second on the log. They play a good brand of rugby and they play a holistic game.

“We will have to make sure the plan we have for them is really good. We chatted a bit about that game and how we want to play them.

“They are a well-coached team and they’ve got a threat everywhere. We have to make sure we are good in all areas of the game because they will punish us.”

The Sharks are in seventh place with 40 points, four points behind the fourth-placed Glasgow Warriors and 26 behind top-of-the-table Leinster.

The Stormers ran rings around the Sharks when the two sides met in Durban earlier this month to claim a 46-19 victory.