Jesse Williams

Jesse Williams is the IFAF World Team poster child.

Two years ago, almost to the day, the indigenous Australian was lining up for the first collection of players assembled from around the globe against Team USA in the inaugural International Bowl.

On Tuesday evening he returned to the fold, arriving in Austin, Texas, to deliver an inspirational good luck message to the players who will fly the World Team flag into battle in 2012, and to serve as the squad's honorary captain.

In between his World Team experience in 2010 and the opportunity to fire up the class of 2012 before they hit the field at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the state capital, Williams' life has changed dramatically. He left the relative obscurity of Arizona Western College, where he was ranked the number two player in the Rivals.com 2011 JUCO Top 50, and signed on at mighty Alabama.

Earlier this year he reached the ultimate college football peak, winning the BCS National Championship Game with the Crimson Tide having started on the defensive line all season. The Straits Islander, who first played football at the age of 14 in Brisbane and represented Australia at junior level, finished his Alabama campaign with 22 tackles including four for a loss of yards.

Despite his rapid rise, Williams remembers his IFAF World Team experience in Fort Lauderdale like it was yesterday and with great affection.

"I remember everything about it and making some great friends has stuck with me for a long time," said Williams. "Everyone overcame the language barrier and came together as one unit and we were really close towards the end. I still talk to a lot of the guys who were on that first World Team. That was one of the really positive things."

Williams was eager to travel to Texas to show his support for the World Team and once he had cleared the visit with Alabama, did not hesitate to accept the offer to become the squad's honorary captain.

"Having a successful career after playing in the World Team and seeing how other players have done well also, I felt I should come down and talk to the players," he explained. "I want to show them that from here it not doesn't have to stop and you can go further from here."

Williams played on the first-ever IFAF World Team that would have held Team USA scoreless until halftime but for an end of second quarter touchdown and eventually finished on the losing end of a 17-0 scoreline. In 2011 the World Team crept closer, defeated only by 21-14.

Now he hopes the taste of victory that has become so familiar with the Crimson Tide is also on the cards for the World Team.

"It would be great for me to be here as part of a team that wins one," he said. "Not just for them, but for the players who have come through the World Team before and didn't manage to win one. That's what I'm hoping for."