Nathan Williams

Comeallwithin (CAW): How did you start playing Rugby?

Nathan Willaims (NW): I first started playing soccer at school but a friend of my father got me to go along. I played Cricket and loved surfing so I didn’t take too much interest until my Dad started to bribe me to play when I got older. I enjoyed being with the Rugby guys a bit more than the others and I got picked for the Queensland Under 14 team. My club was Ashgrove GPS. I played with Ben Tune in the first year of Colts we just used to pass the ball to him and he was off and he’d score. I also played with Ryan Constable, Daniel Herbert and Matt Cockbain. I then played for The Gold Coast where I was coached by Graham Paddy. He was my biggest influence. I’m still in contact with him and he came to stay with me in Paris.

CAW: When did you start playing Super 12?

NW: I make my debut in 1996 for The Queensland Reds against France. I played for them 43 times. It would have been nice to have played fifty games but I didn’t get on with their coach Mark McBain. They were playing me on the wing and then they announced that they had signed Wendell Sailor from Rugby League.

CAW: There was a bit of press in the UK when you were withdrawn from the Reds team to the British Lions.

NW: We played in Townsville for the President’s XV against The British Lions on the Tuesday. Chris Latham was injured and Mark McBain the Reds coach picked me but said I should only play the first half. I wanted to play the full match. I was told not to go out because I was playing on Saturday. I did go out because I had a lot of mates in Townsville and the rest of the team were going out. I came back at 3.30am but I wasn’t drinking. Eight of us came in together and Mark McBain saw us. He dropped myself and Shane Drahm (who now plays for Bristol) but the players he replaced us with were in the taxi with us. I think it was because myself and Shane had told him we wanted to play abroad. I never got on with him but also I guess I’m not the best communicator.

CAW: What made you come to Europe?

NW: Money had something to do with it. My girlfriend (Tania) had been coming over to the UK as the “Face of Fosters” and she was keen to come to Europe to get into some things here.

CAW: Quins play Stade Francais at the beginning of December. How did you enjoy your time there?

NW: It was a mixed bad really. I’d only been there two months when Diego Dominguez who is their Fly Half got injured so they asked me to play there. I didn’t speak French and Fabien Galthie their scrum half didn’t speak English and nor did the inside centre. I didn’t play well in that match. I had a run of eight games and then got a stomach muscle injury, then I hurt my ankle. I came back for the finals and then did injured my ankle again. I’m really looking forward to playing Stade Francais. I keep in touch with a lot of the foreign players who played there. Richard Pool Jones (an English player who played for Cambridge University and England ‘A’) and others. I think we’re going to need to beat them at home because they’ll be very tough on their own turf. They’re a very good side. This match could have been the final.

CAW: What’s the difference between the Premier League and Super 12?

NW: The Australian season is so much more structured. You train solidly for three months before you even play. Then you only play for twelve weeks. Some players here think the Aussie players must be on something to get to the size and shape that they do but it’s not that. It’s the fact that you can train constantly for 3 months. It’s such a long season over here. In Australia you know your job better because of the amount of time you have to train.

CAW: What about the difference between the Premier League and the French League?

NW: The refereeing is better here (your reporter raises his eyes and thinks of Lander). Every ruck and maul is a lottery. In the French league there are some lower sides who don’t compete very well.

CAW: How are you enjoying the playing side at Quins?

NW: I’m having a ball. I’m enjoying myself the most since I first joined the Queensland squad. I guess because I had such a hard time last year this feels so much better. The social side is really good here as well. I understand that the guys didn’t really hang around together much last year. This year Matt Moore and Rob Jewell have been appointed as The Social Committee and that’s really helped. We had a party and we all had to wear tight T shirts and do a trick. I did a back flip.

CAW: Are we going to see that on the pitch?
NW: I haven’t scored in the League yet, but I like to show I’m enjoying myself on the pitch. Maybe.


CAW: What’s Paul Turner like as a coach?

NW: He’s very knowledgeable. I would have loved to have seen him as a player because he can still carve us up on the training pitch. He throws a dummy and runs through and he’s 46 years old. I know there are photo’s of him with a big mullett and moustache as well. It’s quite funny watching him with the forwards because he gets very frustrated with them when they take the wrong option.

CAW: What’s the best and the worst about London?

NW: It’s cold and raining now and it starts getting dark at about 3.30pm. London’s a great city though. There are so many things going on and you can get yourself into a lot of trouble.


CAW: What’s it like living near Ace?

NW: Living near Ace (laughs)? He’s living with me whilst he’s waiting for a new home. That man can really snore. I first met Ace when we were Under 19’s. The first time I saw him was in the tunnel at the Sydney Football Ground. He was playing for the opposition and stood opposite me. I was very skinny then. He pointed me out to his mate and started laughing. He then started saying “Run at me cousin. Go on Run at me.” He was still laughing as we walked out. I’ve never lost to him though.

CAW: Where did you learn those low torpedo kicks that are so effective?

NW: On the field mucking about as a youngster. Playing Aussie Rules football probably as well.


CAW: Are you enjoying the kicking responsibilities?

NW: It’s not too bad. I haven’t had any pressure kicks in big games to win the match yet. I’ve never been the number one kicker in senior rugby but I don’t mind it. I think I’m kicking as well as I’ve ever kicked.


CAW: There’s been a lot of comment on your skipping away at Caerphilly during the match. Would you like to comment?

NW: I was quite surprised myself that all the kicks were going over. I was mucking around with Rob Jewell. I like to enjoy my rugby and I show that on the pitch.


CAW: How much is a jug of beer at The Stoop?

NW: I don’t know. I know you get some kind of deal if you return the jug.



CAW: How much is a pork roll?

NW: I have no idea. You can smell them from Full Back though. It sometimes makes me hungry.


CAW: Do you think Sheriff should get his hair cut?

NW Yes. Definitely. The players call him Chelsea now (Your reporter looks bemused). Because with his haircut he looks like Chelsea Clinton (Your reporter begins to laugh uncontrollably). His haircut’s a bob isn’t it?


CAW: Who has the worst haircut. Sheriff or Tani?

NW: Definitely Sheriff. I quite like Tani’s haircut.

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