 Williams was recalled to the squad for the next game, against , in which he came on as a substitute, and started in the return fixture against Australia, a game which the All Blacks lost and in which Williams was sin-binned after New Zealand were adjudged to have infringed repeatedly.After an indifferent performance against Australia—according to coach Graham Henry, "we thought Ali Williams had an opportunity on Saturday and didn’t take it"—Williams was dropped from the squad for New Zealand's last game in the 2004 Tri Nations, against South Africa, who won comprehensively, out-scoring the All Blacks by five tries to two.Williams's selection for the All Black's end-of-year tour to Europe was helped by the unavailability of Keith Robinson, and Simon Maling, who was about to take up a contract in Japan, but he only started in the second Test, against Wales, coming on as a replacement in the other two Tests, against Italy and France.