Sonny Bill Williams has shut down speculation he could make an NRL return this year, declaring he’s committed to New Zealand rugby and the quest for a record third consecutive World Cup triumph with the All Blacks next year.
Rumours of a Williams comeback to rugby league spread after he was linked to the Sydney Roosters by former Roosters player Jimmy Smith on a Sydney radio station on Sunday.
Roosters chairman Nick Politis dismissed the possibility of Williams’ return early on Monday, before New Zealand Rugby also slammed the story as unfounded.
Williams himself later took to social media to shoot it down.
“I love being part of the @BluesRugbyTeam & @AllBlacks . God willing I’m apart of another successful World Cup campaign next year in 2019,” Williams tweeted.
It was suggested Williams had been told he was not part of the All Blacks’ plans for the World Cup and had signed a deal to return to the Roosters after finishing the Super Rugby season with the Blues.
That would have required a unlikely change of thinking by All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, for whom 32-year-old Williams has been a defensive rock in the centres.
Dual international Williams is one of a small group of All Blacks who can become the first players to win the Rugby World Cup three times.
Politis scotched talk of a fresh deal done with Williams, who was a key player in the Roosters’ 2013 premiership triumph during a two-season stint.
“It’s news to me. As far as I’m aware he’s contracted to play rugby union in New Zealand,” Politis told the FoxSports website.
“We love Sonny and we’ll always love Sonny. But I’m not sure where this has come from.”
Roosters’ high-profile recruits Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco both said they’d welcome any chance to play alongside Williams although they knew nothing of any move to sign him
“There’s no doubt that he’s obviously been a very important not only player, but personality, for the Roosters in recent times. If it all worked out, obviously it’d be great,” Cronk said.
Tedesco also admitted it was a nice thought.
“That would be exciting having a guy like that. I don’t know how our salary cap is looking, but having a guy to play off like Sonny Bill would be unreal,” he said.
Grubby Jeans
Guest
SBW, is incredibly over-rated. He hitched his wagon to the All Blacks and has won. Whoopy do. It is NZ's national sport, where else in the damn world is union a nation's main game? Even in South Africa it is the white man's game with a few tokens thrown in to keep the PC crowd from moaning.
Malo
Guest
SBW lost them the lions tour and has not done a whole lot compared to the talent that exists in the centres , no loss if he goes to the roosters
mad mick
Guest
The NZRU have got it completely wrong in letting so much midfield talent go offshore and yet hang on the draught horse SBW. Rob Thompson who is a smart, performer gave him a lesson in midfield play. The SBW lack of alertness and lack of pace is comical. He was directly marking up on Thompson i.e. 12 marks up on 13 in midfield and when Thompson changed sides for a switch play and inside ball Williams was asleep and then too slow to react and his lack of pace in the chase to the line was highlighted. Not nearly good enough to play a vital mid field role for ABS.
Wobblies
Guest
Typical Australian Rubbish