Sonny Bill Williams was just "too valuable" to be risked this week.

The second five-eighth hasn't played since injuring a shoulder in New Zealand's win over France on June 23, but was named on the bench to meet South Africa in Wellington on Saturday. The 33-year-old missed training on Tuesday and just wasn't in quite the right shape to face the Springboks.

"He's had tonsilitis all week and, at the end of the day, it was [a question of] whether we chuck him out in the reserve bench and flatten him, if he has to come on and play 80 minutes, or take the risk that he only has to play 20," All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said.

PHOTOSPORT Sonny Bill Williams will miss Saturday's test against the Springboks due to illness.

"In the end, he's too valuable to do that to, and we've got good replacement in Jack, so it was a no-brainer."

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Jack Goodhue assumes Williams' spot on the bench, leaving Anton Lienert-Brown to play centre and partner the fit-again Ryan Crotty in midfield. Picking Goodhue, who's just 23 and in his first season of test footy, hadn't been Hansen's preference, but stuff happens.

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"Jack has played four big games, he's a young athlete and we wanted to give him a break and then, of course the plan was to bring Sonny back off the bench, but unfortunately he's got crook so that plan went out the window and Jack's had to come back.

"But Alby [Lienert-Brown] has been playing well, hasn't he, and he deserves his spot anyway." As unfortunate as the bout of tonsilitis is, it continues the trend of Williams missing games. He's played just seven times all year - including once for the All Blacks - and doesn't appear to be someone Hansen can rely on each week. With a world cup on the horizon, that's a bit of an issue. Just as well the All Blacks possess a player as dependable as Lienert-Brown, who can play centre or second-five and appears equally at home starting or finishing games. He's certainly impressed Hansen this season. "Most things he's done out there have been pretty good. He's talked well, he's carried well, he's defended well."

PHIL WALTER/GETTY IMAGES Jack Goodhue will take Sonny Bill Williams' place on the bench.

I even told doc my son was coming to watch me play... 😅❤️😔

Let’s get it brothers ✊🏽 https://t.co/FNb9KavbgF — Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) September 13, 2018

New Zealand: Jordie Barrett, Ben Smith, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ryan Crotty, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Liam Squire, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Karl Tu'inukuafe. Reserves: Liam Coltman, Tim Perry, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Jack Goodhue, Damian McKenzie.

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