Brothers Jeff and Matt Williams, born and bred in East London, will line up for the Emerging South African Barbarians against English champions Saracens, captained by John Smit, in London tonight.
Matt was offered a trial at the Saints while playing for the Sharks U21 last year. Given a shot in their academy side, Northampton Wanderers, Matt set about making a name for himself with some scintillating form for the table-topping A League side.
Impressed with what they saw and viewed as a very promising prospect for the future, the Saints offered him a fulltime academy contract for the 2013-2014 season.
Saints also decided to convert the former loose-forward to hooker where he is now understudy to England and 2013 British and Irish Lions hooker Dylan Hartley.
The SA Barbarians match will see the two brothers playing on the same team for the first time.
The game is to be played at the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the London and kicks off at 6.15pm.
“I was quite starstruck to hear I had been picked for Nick Mallet’s Barbarians,” said Jeff. “It is an honour to meet the man who I have so much respect for and was coaching the Springboks when I was growing up,” he added.
“It being John Smit’s final game makes it extra special and I’m proud to be a part of it,” he said.
EL brothers get their big break
Matt was offered a trial at the Saints while playing for the Sharks U21 last year. Given a shot in their academy side, Northampton Wanderers, Matt set about making a name for himself with some scintillating form for the table-topping A League side.
Impressed with what they saw and viewed as a very promising prospect for the future, the Saints offered him a fulltime academy contract for the 2013-2014 season.
Saints also decided to convert the former loose-forward to hooker where he is now understudy to England and 2013 British and Irish Lions hooker Dylan Hartley.
The SA Barbarians match will see the two brothers playing on the same team for the first time.
The game is to be played at the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the London and kicks off at 6.15pm.
“I was quite starstruck to hear I had been picked for Nick Mallet’s Barbarians,” said Jeff. “It is an honour to meet the man who I have so much respect for and was coaching the Springboks when I was growing up,” he added.
“It being John Smit’s final game makes it extra special and I’m proud to be a part of it,” he said.
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