Full name | Steve Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 29 July 1958 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Narromine, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Stockbroker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position(s) | Second-rower | ||
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Senior career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
Provincial / State sides | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
1980–1985 | New South Wales | 21 | () |
National team(s) | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
1980–1985 | Australia | 28 | () |
Steve Williams (born 29 July 1958) is an Australian former state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in five Test matches in 1985.
A grazier's son, born in Narromine in far-western New South Wales, Williams was sent to boarding school at St Joseph's College in Sydney where his large frame and athletic promise was nurtured at the Joey's rugby nursery. He excelled as a schoolboy sportsman. He rowed in the First VIII for three years, won the GPS Schools Shot Put Championship in the Open division two years, played in the school's First XV for two years and was selected in the Australian Schoolboy's XV (1975 and 1976).
He joined the Drummoyne Rugby Club from school but later moved to the Manly club and was there in 1983 when Alan Jones took over as coach. He captained this Manly team in 1983 to win the final. Jones was the new Australian coach from 1984 and he saw the value that Williams brought to the national pack in his line-out jumping, his surprising pace and fearless scrummaging. Jones also saw Williams' leadership potential.
Williams debuted for Australia against Fiji in the 1980 three match tour. He played in all matches including Australia's 22–9 Test victory. That year he also appeared for New South Wales Waratahs against the touring All Blacks and then was selected for the Wallabies in the first and second Tests of that year's Bledisloe Cup series. He suffered a broken jaw in the 2nd Test after starting a fracas with New Zealand's Mark Shaw and was out for the 3rd Test.