Sonny Bill Williams (again)

So, now it seems Sonny Bill Williams is playing tricks to get a chance to play the 2011 RWC.
When Sonny Bill Williams says he is elligible to play for Australia, is he putting pressure on NZRU to sign him? is he desperate for someone to hire him? is he doing both things?

When asked about Sonny Bill Williams helping injury concerns in the All Blacks camp (Kahui needing surgery and Smith out to a hamstring) Graham Henry laughed.

Is NZRU keen to sign Sonny Bill Williams? Is Sonny Bill Williams asking too much money? Is it fair for people like, say, So'oailo or Muliaina, commited to the NZRU despite lucrative offshore offers that a youngster with as much talent as things to prove in this new code could surpass what they earn?

All in all, it's down to the same thing, the cruel and vile gold, which was exactly what rugby sold its soul for, wasn' t it?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sonny Bill is an interesting story. It's a pity that he is a mere pawn in the game. I will tell you that seven months is enough time for me to tell you that Sonny Bill is not going to be rugby superstar no matter where he plays.
He may play a higher level than England's Andy Farrell but I cannot see him as a commanding rugby figure.

sesenta y cuatro said...

Two weeks ago I would have thought the same thing: "All around him is about he was a league star and let his team down and now he is public enemy number 1 in Australia."

But all of a sudden, even McAlister is hurrying the NZRU to sign him. Not that the NZRU is lacking of good midfielders, but... why on earth would McAlister want the NZRU to hire him if it's not that he's an outstanding player?

To me he's got some skills, he's an athlete... And that would suit more Australia than NZ, wouldn't it?

Anonymous said...

I've read that he is a super athlete and that would fit the bill for Australia but I also think he may be Maori and the tribal ties in New Zealand are pretty strong.
I guess the way I feel is that he really hasn't shown much. I have seen him do some strong physical stuff be nothing outstanding.

yoossie said...

Isn't him the guy who signed this year with Toulon? Because he hasn't shown anything, he only has played 15 games (Toulon has played 26 in Top14 and 6 in Challenge Cup), and only he was good in the first two (before his injury). In his stats, you can see that he has just goaled 2 tries...He is not a superstar, but I've seen him in his first 2 games with rugby union code and I will see that he tackles very well, and he could be a very good outside centre or wing, because he is fast too. But I don't think that he is good enough for being part of the Wallabies or th All Blacks...

PS: Sorry my english, I've been without writing (in English)many years..

PS2: Good blog!

sesenta y cuatro said...

Hi, yoossie, welcome!

Please, feel free to comment any posts, I do appreciate your views and you happen to be a true rugby lover.

Yes, it's the same Sonny Bill Williams that we are speaking of.

It's strange, because this guy has a clorious history in league, but, as you wisely point out, he's shown nothing in rugby, yet.

If you ask journos that constantly write over him they will tell you about the time he fenced off Mortlock and "almost" scored a try. That's his biggest feat. It's not a joke, it's true. That action alone has made them spend tones of ink.

What puzzles me and led me to write this article is Luke McAliser urging the NZRU to sign him.

Why? I wondered. He's not shown anything. He's an athlete, true. But there's surely more to this to be a rugby player, despite my old friend Miff's theories about rugby and athletes.

I don't know, yoossie. Perhaps there's more to Sonny Bill Williams that we don't see. Perhaps there isn't. What is true is that Graham Henry laughed when someone suggested his name to cover some All Blacks injury issues to both Kahui and Smith. He laughed out loud.