Born: September 24, 1953 - Bridge Pa, Hawke's Bay
Test record: 31 Tests (1971-72, 1974-75, 1977-78, 1980-81) - 4 tries, 4 goals, 1 field goal (21 points)
Tours: 1971 tour of Britain and France, 1972 tour of Australia, 1972 World Cup, 1975 World Championship Series, 1977 World Cup, 1978 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea
Brilliant centre/five-eighth Dennis Williams was an 18-year-old Kiwis debutant in 1971, kickstarting a decade-long tenure in the national side that encompassed 31 Test appearances and saw him inducted as one of the inaugural NZRL Legends of League in 1995.
The Te Atatu product was just 17 when he featured at centre in Auckland's 15-14 win over Australia in 1971 and was selected for the Kiwis' tour of Britain and France later that year. He made a tryscoring Test debut at five-eighth in the series-opening victory over Great Britain the day after his 18th birthday, becoming New Zealand's youngest Test player.
Williams was at five-eighth again as New Zealand wrapped up the series in the second Test at Castleford, then switched to centre for the third Test loss and all three matches of the series win over France. He kicked a field goal in the second Test win at Carcassonne.
The gifted tyro played both Tests on the short tour of Australia in 1972 (one at centre, one at five-eighth) and was in the stand-off role for all three matches of the Kiwis' winless World Cup campaign, scoring a try in a dismal 53-19 loss to Great Britain.
Williams lined up at five-eighth throughout the 2-1 series loss to the 1974 Lions and was one of only four players to start in all eight of New Zealand's 1975 World Championship Series matches. He played in all but the Kiwis' opener against Australia as a centre, scoring two tries in the 17-all draw with England at Carlaw Park.
He continued to be a mainstay for the Kiwis at the 1977 World Cup - at five-eighth for the losses to Australia and Great Britain, and in the centres for the win over France - and on the 1978 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea. He partnered a young Olsen Filipaina in the centres during the 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Australia and reverted to five-eighth for the historic clash with the Kumuls in Port Moresby.
Williams' record run of 29 consecutive Tests for the Kiwis ended when he was dropped for the 1979 home series against Great Britain. But he was recalled at five-eighth for the second Test against Australia in 1980 and (after withdrawing from the '80 tour of Britain and France for business reasons) kicked four goals in his last appearance for New Zealand, as a centre in the 26-3 series-opening win over France in 1981 at Carlaw Park after joining Glenora.
A champion of his era, Williams also captained Auckland to a win over Australia as part of the province's amazing 'Grand Slam' achievement of 1977 and led New Zealand MΔori to a 10-all draw with the 1980 Australian tourists in Hastings, kicking two goals.