Sonny Bill Williams is feeling New Zealand’s love from a Rugby World Cup “dream come true” that he’ll cherish for the rest of his life.
But the dual international is no closer to deciding which code, country and club will enjoy his freakish services after the All Blacks date with destiny on Sunday night.
Williams is completely focused about keeping his spot in New Zealand’s 22-man squad to play France after revelling in his role as a backline super-sub.
“I haven’t really thought too much about after the World Cup, to be honest, I’ve just been having too much fun and just going week to week, trying to stay alive and stay in the team,” he said. “That’s been the whole focus.
“This Sunday is the big one so hopefully we’re there and we can win it, because I think we deserve to.”
While SBW was a superstar in the NRL before turning his back on the Bulldogs, he’s been forced to play second fiddle behind dreadlocked warrior Ma’a Nonu for the All Blacks.
After initially agreeing to play on in rugby next year, the 110kg centre delayed finalising his NZRU contract after being dumped from the Tri Nations decider to be linked with the Sydney Roosters for a return to league.
At the start of the tournament he insisted every man was entitled to change his mind.
But the whole seven-week experience may well have swayed him to stay.
“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Williams said. “I think when you’re together with the teammates you have for so long that’s when you see all these silly handshakes and that because you just get close to one another.
“You form friendships that last beyond the World Cup.
“We’ve embraced (the public’s support) as a team. The whole of New Zealand is watching us and loving us and wanting us to do really well.
“The amount of support we’ve got has been crazy and it’s been really cool to be part of.
“It’s something that you will cherish for the rest of your life.”
Williams admitted it was a dream Eden Park final considering he began his rugby education in France for big-spending Toulon after breaking contract with Canterbury.
“The whole dream was to come back and play in a World Cup, so hopefully I get to stay in the squad and get out there on Sunday, and it would be a dream come true,” he said.
The 26-year-old grew up in Auckland as a league fan, and admitted the number of strategic team meetings had been the biggest surprise in crossing codes to play 13 Tests this year.
“I never had the amount of meetings in my league days,” he said. “We just turned up.
“The mental aspect of the game is the biggest eye-opener.”
But he’s smart enough to know the red-hot All Blacks can’t take the lucky Les Bleus, who suffered two pool losses but won through to the final on the back of an uninspired semi-final win over 14-man Wales, lightly on Sunday night.
“I think we just as a team have to expect the unexpected,” he said.
“They can shock us and they have done it in past World Cups.
“Playing against (club sides) in France, you can play against one side one week and then you play them a couple of weeks later and they’re a different team.
“Past form means nothing.”
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