New Zealand battled their way to a 57-46 victory over England in Wellington in a game that saw Williams play her first full 60-minute outing in the black dress since last year's world championships.
The 27-year-old has been hobbled of late with a knee injury and limited to short stints on court in the Quad Series and missed last month's Constellation Cup against Australia.
But, Williams pulled on the goal defence bib last night and produced a player-of-the-match effort as the Ferns had to rally from two goals down at half-time to overcome a spirited English side.
At the post-match press conference Williams looked physically drained but was clearly upbeat because she had come through the game injury free.
"I'm good; I'm great," she said. "My lungs and my face are a little bit red but getting back out there, it's a great feeling and I missed it."
Even though she was one of the best on show at the TSB Bank Arena, as she brought the ball through court with direction, Williams admitted her timing was still slightly off.
"It's getting there slowly. It's something we have been working on for three weeks now. But it was just that practice time getting out there and you can practise it in a practice match but until a real game it's a lot different, but getting there."
Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu said it was always the plan to play Williams at goal defence because of what she offers the side with ball in hand.
"It'll depend on the opposition but she's an outstanding attacking player so to lose her by putting her in to goal keep, we gain all that value defensively but we do lose something going through the mid-court," Taumaunu said.
"So that's always a consideration in my mind when I'm considering what we are going to do with her."
It wasn't always smooth sailing for New Zealand, as Taumaunu ran her second-stringers in the first half as she continues to attempt to build depth in the squad.
Cathrine Latu was again given the chance to start at goal shoot but didn't link with her mid-courters as she would have liked and turned the ball over three times in the first quarter.
The Ferns could be forgiven slightly given wing attack Millie Lees and goal attack Jodi Brown, who played the first half, only joined the group on Monday after missing the first three games of the Quad Series that were played in Australia.
That didn't justify the Ferns turning the ball over 20 times in all, including a whopping 10 in the first stanza, but eventually the home side warmed to the task in the third quarter.
The injection of Irene van Dyk, Maria Tutaia, Kayla Cullen and Leana de Bruin in the second spell proved the difference for New Zealand as they turned the tables on England and ground out their eventual victory.
In their previous 79 meetings England had only beaten New Zealand three times and at half-time they may have dreamed of an unlikely upset but the Ferns had too much class with their first-choice line-up on court.
English defenders Ama Agbeze and Eboni Beckford-Chambers were both impressive for the visitors, while shooter Jo Harten drained 34 goals from 39 attempts and looked sharp.
Harten said after the game she hoped to play in the ANZ Championship again next year after turning out for the Canterbury Tactix this season, but the 23-year-old wouldn't reveal what team she would suit up for in 2013.
In the earlier game, Australia eased to a comfortable 68-36 victory over South Africa.
New Zealand's next game of the Quad Series is against South Africa in Tauranga on Sunday night.
New Zealand 57 (Irene van Dyk 14/14, Maria Tutaia 19/22, Cathrine Latu 12/14, Jodi Brown 12/15) England 46 (Jo Harten 34/39, Pamela Cookey 12/14) 1Q: 12-13 HT: 24-26 3Q: 41-35
