Rugby-Sonny Bill could be Lomu-like on the wing - Kirton

WELLINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - Sonny Bill Williams could be
as devastating as former New Zealand winger Jonah Lomu if he
were given a start out wide at the rugby World Cup, according to
former All Black selector Earle Kirton. 

Most of the debate over Williams's place in the side has
been whether he or Ma'a Nonu should start at inside centre, but
Kirton suggested the 25-year-old could be more damaging further
out as both a try-scorer and a decoy to unsettle defences. 

"You might think it's from left field, but SBW should be
considered on the right wing," Kirton, All Black selector for
the 1995 World Cup, said in comments published by the Dominion
Post newspaper on Wednesday. 

"If you have Sonny Bill ghosting across the back of Ma'a
Nonu and then entering the backline the defence won't know what
to do. 

"With Jonah Lomu we used to say he scored tries without the
ball because he took out so many defenders as a decoy, and I
think Sonny Bill could have the same effect from the wing. 

"You would have Nonu and SBW to deal with and with Dan
Carter at first five-eighth and Conrad Smith running wide it
would be a nightmare (for defences)." 

Lomu, who earned the last of his 63 test caps in 2002,
terrorised defences at the 1995 and 1999 World Cups, scoring a
record total of 15 tries, including four in the 1995 semi-final
against England. 

The World Cup starts in September in New Zealand, with the
All Blacks favourite to win their second title on home soil.