 Following the 2002 year-end tour to Europe, Williams became a regular member of the All Blacks.He started in all three matches against touring Northern Hemisphere teams, in June 2003, though he could have missed the games against Wales and France, after being cited for stamping on the head of England fullback Josh Lewsey; he was cleared of the charge when a disciplinary tribunal ruled that his actions had been "inadvertent and incidental".He started in all four matches in the 2003 Tri Nations Series, before being chosen in the All Blacks squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup.