Recently, Sonny Bill Williams “made no apologies for how he conducts business” following his announcement that he intends to return to rugby for the next World Cup and then to compete in the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro in 2016.
Meanwhile, Channel Nine recently launched its 2013 NRL campaign with an advertisement featuring SBW in a muscular pose, highlighting his initials, SBW, followed by the initials OMG.
The ARU should follow up with a similar advertisement: SBW – OMG – RIO!
No doubt Channel Nine and NRL executives are seething with the timing of SBW’s announcement, which coincides with their media launch.
One of new ARU CEO Bill Pulver’s first initiatives should be to send SBW a bottle of champagne with a thank you note.
SBW has brought the Rio Games very much into the focus of the NRL heartland. In doing so many young athletes will become aware of this opportunity, which should translate into increased player participation.
In doing so, SBW has highlighted the international nature of rugby union and the many opportunities that it offers.
Every now and then an organisation can get an unexpected leg up. Pulver has been in the job just four days and SBW has provided that. It will be interesting to see what he does with it…
Cattledog
Roar Guru
Wake up jc, there's significantly more important issues at hand. Don't you realise the Prime Minister is missing, presumed drowned, off Portsea!
Tembavj
Guest
JC what's even more laugh worthy is that your 92 year old prom date is still waiting.
jc
Guest
3rd biggest tournament... gee you blokes make me laugh, i could name 5 bigger that dont include the summer olympics and the football wc. tell us again how many watched the Union cup final.what was it 40-50 mill. what a global event must have stopped the world
John smith
Guest
Sbw has brought 10million dollars to channel nine
John smith
Guest
Sonny bill Williams has bought 10 million dollars to channel nine since signing with the club
atlas
Guest
boxing on now, unsure of fight order/times http://www.vipboxsports.me/boxing/131939/1/sonny-bill-williams-vs-francios-botha-ppv-free-live-stream-online.html
Big Bert
Guest
10 or 12 competitive teams in the RUWC, Are you serious? How about 4 or 5 & 4 or 5 second tier nations that sometime can win against the top rated sides. The rest are hopeless & getting worse.
clipper
Guest
I'll second that spikhaza - some codes can only dream about having a competitive top ten, let alone a top 4!
RebelRanger
Guest
constant complianer? give me at least 5 examples of him complaining (no quotes = didn't happen)
RebelRanger
Guest
If he's aiming for the 7s then it shows how much faith he really has in his boxing skills..
RebelRanger
Guest
Agreed. With both yourself and HTs post.
spikhaza
Guest
This comment is the stupidest I have seen in 6 years of reading through the roar. Firstly, the RWC is by a long long way Rugby's biggest asset, I mean by a country mile. RWC is the third biggest international turnament in the world, gets enormous ratings and crowds (even in NZ where the stadia is crap). Sevens is Rugby's marijuana... a gateway game that exposes players and supporters to Rugby. If you had 15's at the Olympics it would just be a watered down version of the world cup. "Going nowhere"... again stupid, Rugby is growing very quickly around the globe. The money the IRB gets from the world cup (a lot of money!!) is invested into various unions around the world. Recently Madagascar got 40000 people to a RWC2015 Qualifier. At the moment there might be only 10, 12 teams that can be competitive at RWC... by 2015 you can add another two to that. By 2019 there is a strong case that 15 will be competitive (let's define competitive as having a realistic chance of reaching the quarter finals)... Soon the turnament will have 20 teams of which 20 will have a shot at winning.
atlas
Guest
Hi - try (is it allowed/accessible in Australia?) I get most of my sport from wiziwig (am in Thailand) http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=189759&part=sports "streams will only appear 1 hour before the start of the match. There are 2 stations announced to broadcast this match."
TembaVJ
Guest
anybody know where one can watch the fight tonight (besides over priced foxtel)?? I am excited for thiz match up
AussiKiwi
Guest
When its an unfair contract, Rickety. No one here knows the inside detail of the SBW Bulldogs breakup, but believe me, the idea that a contract is always binding went out centuries ago. The law reports are full of cases where contracts have been set aside on grounds of unfairness. I find it surprising and dispiriting that there is so much hostility toward SBW (this comment is not addressed at you RK) As far as I can see, he is a sublime athlete, incredibly hard working, reasonably humble, an asset to any sport he engages in. Oh and he has made a few mistakes along the way, for which he is apparently to be hanged. Tall poppy syndrome is alive and well.
Johnno
Guest
SBW born in 1985. Rio 2016. SBW will be 30 entering his 31st year. A long time between now and then, for his body to get battered about. Who even says he will have the acceleration and speed in 2016, to be a good sevens forwad. Mind you age is not a barrier, plenty of sevens players after 30 who play, but the point is there is always a bit of caution putting lofty goals on someone over 30 trying a new sport. 7even's and 15 a side a very different, and are becoming more so. Will be big challange for SBW, there will be alot of competition for spots.
Hammertime
Guest
All this talk about a gold medal for SBW in Rio. Perhaps people have forgotten that NZ were recently beaten at 7s by Kenya of all countries, in New Zealand! Another reason to love 7s. On another note. To my eternal shame, whilst skim reading this article...SBW...Olympic...RIO etc, my first thought was a boxing gold medal. Now that would have been cool !
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
When is a contract not a contract?
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Spot on Parra
Parra
Guest
Might have been a great offer - I guess it's what happened after he signed that was the problem!