Sonny Bill Williams is back in black
Columnist By Spiro Zavos, 11 Jun 2010 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, Carl Hayman, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Sonny Bill Williams
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It has taken the former rugby league star, Sonny Bill Williams to teach a former All Black, Carl Hayman, that you can’t put a price on wearing the national colours of your country. Sonny Bill Williams has a dream of playing for the All Blacks. Now he has given himself the chance to achieve that dream.
Regarded as a traitor by the wild-eyed reptiles of the tabloid press, Sonny Bill, by signing up with the NZRU, has made himself an instant hero in the rugby union game.
He has given himself a chance, too, of establishing himself as a world-wide celebrity player in the fashion of Jonah Lomu, if he delivers on the field. And if he delivers on the field, then the money he makes with the NZRU will be quadrupled and more with off-field sponsorships.
Hayman, on the other hand, has taken the money from Toulon rather than try and help the All Blacks win the RWC 2011.
The aspect of this that grates with New Zealanders is that Hayman was certain of starting for the All Blacks. And if anything happened to Richie McCaw, Hayman would have been in line to take over the captaincy.
None of this will happen now.
Williams is not certain of starting for the All Blacks. He has to prove himself good enough when he is selected for the November tour to Europe. But he has backed himself.
And it is certain that the All Black selectors will give him the chance later on in the year to establish his credentials as a rugby union star.
Will Sonny Bill make the grade? That is the $64 million question.
When he played for the Barbarians this time last year and marked Stirling Mortlock, he did not do much but he did not look totally out of place. He struggled a bit to get himself into positions to make an impact.
He had a run of injuries which, he says, has been stopped when a proper diagnosis was finally given. In a run of matches for Toulon in recent months, playing outside Jonny Wilkinson, Sonny Bill stood out as a strong runner, a hard-shouldered defender, a player with beautiful hands and a tremendous passing game.
He was man of the match one of the finals, scoring a try and dominating the middle of the field.
On the strength of that performance, you’d have to agree with Rod Kafer that he may be an exceptional talent for the All Blacks to exploit. Kafer also dismisses the charge, that the rugby league types have made, that the NZRU will have difficulties with the management that runs Williams.
All that remains to be seen.
Right now, though, Sonny Bill has already earned some of his money by giving the All Blacks and New Zealand rugby the psychological lift it needs with a year or so to go before RWC 2011.
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- All Blacks, Carl Hayman, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Sonny Bill Williams
June 11th 2010 @ 10:46am
TembaVJ said | June 11th 2010 @ 10:46am | Report comment
He will struggle in S14 and will crawl in 3N, he will wear the black and his dream will come true, then he will chase the next big cheque.
June 11th 2010 @ 11:55am
Gob Bluth said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:55am | Report comment
Couldn’t agree more on those last three posts Temba.
If it has always been his dream, why didn’t he play rugby as a kid, a teenager or leave the Dogs for an NZ team?
It’s his dream when the price is right.
June 11th 2010 @ 10:50am
Gob Bluth said | June 11th 2010 @ 10:50am | Report comment
A small mercy in this is it has stop the usual rah rah rabble proclaiming that NRL players can’t make the grade in rugby.
June 11th 2010 @ 10:56am
James D said | June 11th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
95% cant
June 11th 2010 @ 11:50am
Gob Bluth said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:50am | Report comment
You back already little doggie? Woof woof!
If they are so bad stop breaking the bank to buy them. I notice the England side, not content with pinching mungoes from the UK now get Kiwi ones to.
June 11th 2010 @ 11:57am
Jay said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:57am | Report comment
how many union player could excel in league? we’ve never really known because there hasnt been too much of that sort of movement (last I can recall – Ben Kennedy perhaps?) (and I mean apart from RL players returniing after making the initial switch).
I think the likelihood of this occuring may (or may not) increase once the cap is raised and Perth and Central Coast have teams – some NRL clubs might start making approachs to talented rugby back like O’Connor, Barnes (all ready indicated he might return), Beale etc.
June 11th 2010 @ 12:18pm
James D said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:18pm | Report comment
Most Union players that are poached by league scouts are poached before they make it to top grade – Blokes like Cooper Vuna and Jarrod Saffy for example are poached at 15/16 and then work into the top grade – the high profile players dont generally switch back because league is boring to play. The only case that they do switch back is when the challenge of rugby beats them and they want some simple retirement money (Tahu, Sailor etc)
June 11th 2010 @ 12:28pm
Ken said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
‘Challenge of rugby beats them’
Maybe, or maybe they were already at the highest level of that sport after so little time that they got bored (especially as most of them were outside backs and so weren’t so much playing sport as observing it from the sideline) so they took their money and came back to play the challenging sport that they enjoyed…. wow, creating subjective facts makes arguing so much easier I can see why you do it…
June 11th 2010 @ 12:56pm
James D said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Yes it is fun but your not good at it. They leave due to boredom (Tahu- and the rest- had done everything there is to do) and if they return they do so due to being beaten by the game (Tahu couldnt hold down a starting spot for the Tahs and Deans tried him once at the top level and was made to pay).
June 12th 2010 @ 12:02pm
Mick Gold Coast QLD said | June 12th 2010 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
“how many union player could excel in league? we’ve never really known because there hasnt been too much of that sort of movement …”
No, not a lot of that sort of movement ….. Kearney, Mossop, Thornett, Thornett, Ryan, Dick Taylor (Newtown hooker), Summons, Lisle, Fairfax, Ballesty, Hawthorne, Gourley, Price, Papworth, Snoz (centre, from Wallabies to St George – can’t remember his name, doing this from memory) – and most of ‘em went on to play for the Kangaroos.
June 11th 2010 @ 11:22am
Katipo said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:22am | Report comment
SBW will contribute massively to the All Blacks tattoo quota & shadow boxing drills. Probably bring something to the haka too. He’ll be good for “the brand”.
Good luck to him. I hope he succeeds on the field.
June 11th 2010 @ 11:37am
Lion Red said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Rather have Hayman than SBW.
June 11th 2010 @ 11:52am
Gob Bluth said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Spiro,
Before you get too excited about the “wild-eyed reptiles” calling anyone a traitor. Let’s remember rugby has hardly covered itself in glory in the past for those who wanted a go at league. Try life bans on for size in the early days.
I thought you were a fan of history.
June 11th 2010 @ 11:53am
et said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:53am | Report comment
So would I, but id rather have SBW outside Carter than Hayman…
June 11th 2010 @ 10:50pm
Lion Red said | June 11th 2010 @ 10:50pm | Report comment
Rather have Hayman at TH prop and a fit Ma’a Nonu than a unproven above average French Rugby Club 2nd 5/8 outside DC.
June 11th 2010 @ 11:59am
Brett McKay said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:59am | Report comment
A few people of made comment on this and other columns/articles today on the announcement taking place on the Footy Show, that noted bastion of rugby promotion.
I just wonder now, knowing the affiliation Williams has with Channel Nine, whether Nine might actually make a point of using him in promotional purposes for both the S15 and TNs next year?? What better way might there be to entice new viewers to Nine’s coverage of rugby next year than to use a figure that two countries and two codes associate with?? Might also give the NZ teams a bit more carriage in the Australian TV market?? Could Sonny Bill Williams doing well in NZ actually lead to increased FTA rugby in Australia??
Just a thought…
June 11th 2010 @ 12:04pm
Jay said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
Remember the Baa Baas promotion of the game against the wallabies, channel seven used his image to heavily promote the game, not sure what that did for rating though.
It would be great to get S15s on FTA. Im sorry, but a highlights package isnt enough to generate or attract interest in the comp, you need at least one live match per week – show the tahs in NSW, reds in QLD, rebels in VIC and force in WA.
With AFL increasing its presence in NSW and QLD, I think union stands the most to lose. I would be interested in knowing how the ARU have reacted to the new AFL teams and how they will measure their response…
June 11th 2010 @ 12:21pm
JF said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
The FTA coverage of the football codes in Australia is curious. The only fans who get a good deal are RL fans in NSW and QLD, and AFL fans no matter where they live, reaping the benefits of the AFL shoving their sport down the rest of the country’s throat. If you are not a QLD/NSW RL fan or an AFL fan, you are getting screwed.
June 11th 2010 @ 4:48pm
James D said | June 11th 2010 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
It works both ways mate – Juniors in WA for Rugby have tripled in the past 5-6 years.
June 11th 2010 @ 5:26pm
Gob Bluth said | June 11th 2010 @ 5:26pm | Report comment
Easy to quote growth figures off a neolithic base.
June 11th 2010 @ 12:10pm
King of the Gorganites said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
i think its the perfect opportuinty for channel nine to push there new Super rugby highlight package. it will also help to create a lot of media attention about next years RWC.
With Channel 9 now broadcasting it, perhaps they will stop knocking the game and give it a go.
SBW will be great for the promotion of rugby in australasia
June 11th 2010 @ 12:00pm
AngryAnt said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
Sprio, why don’t we look at little closer to home when writing an article like this? Without doubt George Smith is certainly in the best two opensides in Australia, and would be a great asset to Australian Rugby. He would command a spot in the 22. He has taken the money to go and play in Toulon next year (a world cup year). How is what he has done any different from Carl Hayman? Both would be in the match day 22′s both are commanding senior presences, and both have foresaken country (and another shot at world cup glory) for money.
I actually do not have any problem with George Smith’s decision (or with Hayman’s). But rather wonder and question why Hayman is seen by many (look at KingPlayMakers article) as a souless mercenary (I think he was described). I don’t see how his actions are any different from Smith’s or a whole heap of other players who could stregthen their national team by staying around for WC years.
I don’t think SBW deserves a lot of praise either. I am a rugby fan and your comment that his decision would hearten rugby fans is plain wrong from my point of view. I would be staggered if he signed a contract that extends beyond next year (or if it did without a get out clause). If this is the case I would argue the intent is to return to Europe and the big dollars as soon as possible. Will the NZRU potentially sign him again in 2014 (if he has returned to Europe) for the 2015 Cup? And the bigger question if the contact is either 1 year or 2 or more with out clauses in his favour, do the NZRU risk an four yearly migration of All Blacks – 2012 to Europe for the money, 2014 NPC (sorry I refuse to call it anything else), Nov internationals, 2015 S15 (or 16/17/18) and the World Cup, and then back to Europe from 2016 until the next NPC before the world cup.
It would reverse the historical trend of NZ being strong in the between years and struggling in the WC (the AB’s based on a player migration cycle above would have to perform better in WC year then in between), but it has the potential effect of undermining the NPC, Super whatever and all internationals and tours in between WC. Interest would fall away, crowds would go down, TV rights (the crown jewel) would be worth a lot less, the money available to players less resulting in more defections to Europe, Japan, League and possibly the AFL (no reason a Cory Jane counldn’t make it in AFL – speed, strength, kick and catch skills). A slippery slope.
June 11th 2010 @ 1:13pm
Sam Taulelei said | June 11th 2010 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
Well thought, well written and well said!
June 11th 2010 @ 10:36pm
chester said | June 11th 2010 @ 10:36pm | Report comment
Angry Ant
George Smith was not wanted by Robbie Deans or John O’Neil. They did not fight to keep him only 18 months out from a World Cup campaign. To not have one of the greatest openside flankers in the squad beggars belief. Look at the Boks, all there players that headed OS have been coaxed back home. The boks and All blacks have experienced players (particularly forwards) in there line up. Brad Thorn and Victor Matfield at age 35 are rock solid. Deans and the ARU have systematically shed all the experienced forwards since the past world cup. Vickerman, Smith, Waugh. These players would be in a squad of 22 in any other country. Yes some of them have left but you need to understand why that is the case. In Smith and Vickerman’s case, the ARU weren’t prepared to pay them what they were worth.
Robbie Deans picks young players because they do not challenge him. He hates confrontation and is a poor communicator with players (hence not informing Giteau he was dropped from vice captain prior to the press conference last year).
The Wallabies have plenty of young talent but they need some experienced heads also. Unfortunately Deans seems keen to rid Australian Rugby of all of these. Just remeber it was Deans who was assistant coach of the All Blacks when the lost to Australia in 2003. That team had Brad Thorn and Tana Umanga on the bench. It was Deans as backs coach that picked Leon Macdonald at 13 (out of position) instead of Tana Umanga and the All Blacks paid for that oversight
June 11th 2010 @ 11:45pm
IronAwe said | June 11th 2010 @ 11:45pm | Report comment
The difference is George Smith retired. Carl Hayman has not retired from international rugby. There is a very big difference there. Besides, whilst George Smith may have been on the bench he has already been ousted by Pocock on many an occasion and new his time was coming and decided to bow out gracefully. Nothing wrong with that.
June 11th 2010 @ 12:11pm
johnny-boy said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
The difference between SBW and Hayman, is that Hayman has played under Henry and knows what a b…… t……. f…….. p…… he is.
It wouldnt surprise me if SBW ended up walking out on the All Blacks eventually and went to Gridiron when he realises he’s being treated as a second class citizen (much like he obviously was at the Dogs) by an arrogant ex headmaster. Except he can’t be that tough if he wants to swan around at 2nd five with a physique that size . A few good shots could really rattle his world. I reckon Giteau would walk around him and as long as he stays low on defence, Giteau is tough emough to handle it as evidenced by his shrugging off of the Fijian losers.
June 12th 2010 @ 5:54am
Jerry said | June 12th 2010 @ 5:54am | Report comment
Hey Johnny – you do know that the players feedback was a large factor in Henry being retained over Deans? This idea that the players hate playing under him, is pretty much only in your head, you know.
June 11th 2010 @ 1:01pm
Who Needs Melon said | June 11th 2010 @ 1:01pm | Report comment
I won’t comment any further on SBW – there’s enough of that floating around already and I have nothing to add…
BUT just in defense of Carl Hayman for a second. Shouldn’t a guy who has served his country be allowed to bow out of the international game if he wants to? Are we going to think less of George Smith if/when we learn he earns more overseas next year than he did at the Brumbies this year? Must a player really play on for their country until they are booted out of it by selectors? Or past the point when they’ve proved to themselves and those that matter to them how far they can go?
Hell I’d take a pay cut to live and work in France for a couple of years so I don’t begrudge players wanting to see the world a bit. If they get a pay rise in the process, more power to them. I prefer older guys making way for the youngsters rather them slowly fade in terms of greatness in the national colours.