A relatively unknown player outside of Auckland prior to 2002, Bryce Williams earned the Crusaders call on the back of a strong campaign for that season’s NPC winners where he featured in eight of the side’s 10 matches, combining in the second row with his namesake, Ali Williams. A product of the Suburbs club in Auckland, Williams had also been called up to the New Zealand Maori side that toured Australia in 2002, offering a solid pointer towards his future potential when he performed strongly in all four tour games, including the hotly contested international against the Wallabies at Perth. While Williams managed just two appearances during his time with the Crusaders, being largely ‘locked out’ by the hot competition for second row places alongside All Blacks Chris Jack, Brad Thorn and Norm Maxwell, he returned to Auckland to force his way into the Blues for 2004.