Steve Williams (rugby player born 1982)
Encyclopedia
Steve Williams is an Australian-born
German
international rugby union
player, having played for the SC Neuenheim
and the German national rugby union team. He has also played club rugby at highest level in Scotland
, the Netherlands
and Portugal
.
, New South Wales
. Williams qualified to play for Germany
through his German mother and, after backpacking
through Europe and watching Australia play in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
, he had a trial for Germany, which he passed. He impressed Germany's director of rugby, Peter Ianusevici
, enough to field him in Germany's next game.
He made his debut for Germany on 24 November 2007, three days after his trial, a 34-5 victory against Moldova
in Heidelberg
. He neither speaks German nor was he able to sing the German national anthem, but he indicated his willingness to learn both for the upcoming spring tests in early 2008. His debut for Germany however meant, he was not eligible to play for his native country Australia in the future, as the International Rugby Board
allows a player to play for only one country.
Williams played three games for the team in the 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division
, his last on 26 April 2008, against the Netherlands
, with Germany winning all three of them and securing promotion to the 2008-2010 European Nations Cup First Division
.
After his stint in Europe and playing for Germany, he now again plays in Australia, for Mosman Rugby Club
. He is a European and Business Studies student at Sydney
's Macquarie University
. Williams was supposed to play for SC Neuenheim in the 2008-09 Bundesliga season but, despite being confirmed by the club as a transfer, did not travel to Europe to play for the team.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, having played for the SC Neuenheim
SC Neuenheim
The SC Neuenheim is a German rugby union club from Heidelberg, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Having won nine men's and twelve women's German championships as of 2004, the club is one of the most accomplished in Germany.-History:...
and the German national rugby union team. He has also played club rugby at highest level in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Biography
Williams has been playing rugby since 1988, and hails from AlstonvilleAlstonville, New South Wales
Alstonville is a town located in northern New South Wales, Australia, part of the region known as the Northern Rivers. Alstonville is located on the Bruxner Highway between the town of Ballina and city of Lismore . The village of Wollongbar is situated 4 km to the west of Alstonville...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Williams qualified to play for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
through his German mother and, after backpacking
Backpacking (travel)
Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used...
through Europe and watching Australia play in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, he had a trial for Germany, which he passed. He impressed Germany's director of rugby, Peter Ianusevici
Peter Ianusevici
Peter Ianusevici is a retired Romanian rugby union international and former coach of the Romanian and the German national rugby union team.He played for Romania internationally in the 1970s, as a winger, playing 15 times for his country. Ianusevici then led his country as a coach to a Rugby World...
, enough to field him in Germany's next game.
He made his debut for Germany on 24 November 2007, three days after his trial, a 34-5 victory against Moldova
Moldova national rugby union team
The Moldova national rugby union team represent Moldova at rugby union. They are governed by the Moldovan Rugby Federation , and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.-History:...
in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. He neither speaks German nor was he able to sing the German national anthem, but he indicated his willingness to learn both for the upcoming spring tests in early 2008. His debut for Germany however meant, he was not eligible to play for his native country Australia in the future, as the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
allows a player to play for only one country.
Williams played three games for the team in the 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division
2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division
The 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division will be contested over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The winner of Division 2A, Germany, will be promoted to Division 1 and fifth place,Netherlands, relegated to Division 2B...
, his last on 26 April 2008, against the Netherlands
Netherlands national rugby union team
The Netherlands national rugby union team are a national sporting side of the Netherlands, representing them at rugby union. The side first played in 1930.-History:...
, with Germany winning all three of them and securing promotion to the 2008-2010 European Nations Cup First Division
2008-2010 European Nations Cup First Division
The 2008–10 European Nations Cup First Division was the 7th edition of the championship since it was reformed in 2000. The championship not only determined the champions of the ENC but it also acted as an element of European qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.At present,...
.
After his stint in Europe and playing for Germany, he now again plays in Australia, for Mosman Rugby Club
Mosman Rugby Club
Mosman Rugby Club is an Australian rugby union club. It is based is Mosman on the Lower North Shore of Sydney. Home games are played at Rawson Oval and Balmoral Oval...
. He is a European and Business Studies student at Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
. Williams was supposed to play for SC Neuenheim in the 2008-09 Bundesliga season but, despite being confirmed by the club as a transfer, did not travel to Europe to play for the team.
National team
- European Nations CupEuropean Nations Cup (rugby union)The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
- Division 2- Champions: 20082006-2008 European Nations Cup Second DivisionThe 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division will be contested over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The winner of Division 2A, Germany, will be promoted to Division 1 and fifth place,Netherlands, relegated to Division 2B...
- Champions: 2008
National team
| Year | Team | Competition | Games | Points | Place |
| 2006-2008 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division The 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division will be contested over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The winner of Division 2A, Germany, will be promoted to Division 1 and fifth place,Netherlands, relegated to Division 2B... |
Germany | European Nations Cup Second Division European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
3 | 0 | Champions |
- As of 5 March 2010
External links
- Steve Williams at scrum.com Steve Williams at totalrugby.de