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Sonny Bill verdict: He held his own
By MARC HINTON in Sydney - Rugbyheaven
Last updated 02:38 07/06/2009
He may have been on the wrong side of a Wallaby walloping, but there was a resounding chorus echoing out of the Sydney Football Stadium last night that Sonny Bill Williams has a big future in his new code.
Williams' Barbarians were smashed 55-7 by an impressive first-up Wallabies performance at the SFS, with Robbie Deans' men running in eight tries to one as they dominated all areas of a one-sided encounter.
But in his first significant match on the big rugby stage, the 23-year-old Toulon-based New Zealander who turned his back on a glittering league career last July made a pretty decent impression. All things considered.
There's no doubting it was a tough old night on occasions for the former Doggies and Kiwis star, with a distinct lack of quality ball to run on to, some fairly attentive, rib-tickling Wallaby defence to contend with and a steady stream of attackers to test his defensive mettle.
But he came within an ace of making a dream start.........................
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/i...ional/2479721/