Nick Williams can provide the power to light up the Arms Park this season, according to his Cardiff Blues coach Danny Wilson.
Williams, signed from Ulster in the summer, provided the energy supplies for the Blues and one of their four tries as they hammered Edinburgh 34-16 in their opening Guinness Pro12 fixture.
It was the type of display – direct and difficult to halt – that Williams has been recruited for and the 32-year-old New Zealander is capable of much more, insists his coach.
“I thought Nick Williams was superb and showed exactly why we signed him,” said Wilson.
“His physicality is on another level and he’s got some skills as well. On the whole, his performance was top-drawer.”
Wilson was also pleased with the five-point opening salvo ahead of the Blues’ first away trip to Munster next Friday.
“It’s a good start – a five-point win in the first home game of the season in difficult conditions that I thought would have suited them more than us. But I was pleased with the way we dealt with their set-piece.
Edinburgh head coach Alan Solomons said: “They dominated territory and possession, and you can’t play when you’re deep in your half and don’t have the ball.
“Maybe in the first half we had opportunities to counter-attack and we didn’t, we kicked it away and they dominated the aerial battle.
“In fairness our pack will pick up, but they need game-time under their belt, but also give credit to Cardiff.”
Steve Shingler – who moved from the Scarlets this summer – scored 15 points as the Blues overcame a shaky start.
The 25-year-old fly-half and fellow debutant Williams both impressed as they ran out deserved winners with the pair both going over to score tries along with a Tomos Williams score and a penalty try.
Shingler converted two and kicked two penalties, with Gareth Anscombe adding two conversions.
Edinburgh contested throughout but were clearly second best after the interval. Solomoni Rasolea scored their only try, which Duncan Weir converted to add to his three penalties.
