All Blacks lock Ali Williams has heaped praise on locking partner Reuben Thorne ahead of the side’s match against Scotland in Edinburgh this weekend.

Thorne was named at lock for his first start at this Rugby World Cup, also his first RWC match since the ill-fated semifinal loss to the Wallabies four years ago when he was captain of the side.

He was named on the reserves bench for the opening pool game against Italy at Marseille but was forced out with a recurrence of a hamstring injury he sustained earlier this season.

"He probably does the stuff that the cameras and the writers and the other people don't see. He's one of those guys who puts his head in there and does the shit work," Williams said of Thorne.

"He doesn't want to be glorified, he just does the hard work and he's one of those guys that every team needs.

"I love playing alongside him. You just look up and you see the pure energy on his face.

“Actions speak louder than words and he's one of those guys that says ... 'follow me', there's no need to talk," he said.

"If you were playing alongside these guys, you wouldn't write half the stuff you write.

"It's just how it is. We go to war with these guys, we know them inside out."

Williams is to start his third consecutive game this weekend while Chris Jack is on the reserves bench.