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Sonny Bill Williams - Source: ONE Sport -
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Chiefs midfielder Sonny Bill-Williams is flattered to be considered for All Blacks duty again, despite his plans to leave New Zealand later this year.
Williams has stated his intentions to leave New Zealand rugby to take up a lucrative 12-game contract in Japan beginning in October, but All Black coach Steve Hansen is still considering him for his 28-man Test squad for the Rugby Championship.
"It's a no brainer," Hansen said yesterday. "He's the in form midfielder and he's been playing world class rugby."
Williams was training with his Chiefs team mates today ahead of Saturday's Super Rugby final showdown with the Sharks in Hamilton.
He told reporters he is pleased to be given the opportunity to pull on the black jersey again, but he is concentrating on the weekend first.
"It's always great to know you're in the mix, but in saying that body and mind is firmly with the Chiefs at the moment and I've got to prepare as best I can, and do my job as best I can," he said.
"For me personally I want to leave New Zealand on a high and that won't happen unless we win this weekend."
Williams will find out for sure if he is picked when the All Blacks Rugby Championship squad is named on Sunday 5 August, ahead of the first Test on August 18.
The second five-eighth will go a long way to cementing that place with a win this weekend but Williams said he will be focussing on keeping his emotions in check this week ahead of the game.
"I've been lucky to be involved with some pretty good sides, and wherever I go I try and keep humble, keep my head down ass up, work pretty hard and this year's no different.
"At the start of the year we were written off as a team that couldn't make it - our forwards didn't have enough grunt - and we've gone a long way to silencing those people. I think beating the Crusaders in a home semi-final was the icing on the cake."
The Chiefs are preparing for the possibility of being without hard-working co-captain Craig Clarke for Saturday's game.
If he fails to prove his fitness by Friday night, flanker Sam Cane is likely to get a start with the loose-forward trio shuffling to make room.