I don’t really get the comparisons between Joey Manu and Sonny Bill Williams. I realise they have the Roosters in common, along with a pretty good offload, but I actually think Steve Hansen’s made a rod for Manu’s back there.
Hansen, the director of rugby at Manu’s next destination – Toyota Verblitz – likened Manu to Williams, in confirming the former’s signing last week.
I’m old enough to have been around when Williams first came to rugby in New Zealand. He’d been at Toulon, after famously walking out on the Bulldogs, and Canterbury’s signing of him for provincial duty was a bit of a coup.
Well, sort of. Williams had been told by Wayne Smith that Canterbury was the best place for him, so off he went.
Joseph Manu of the Roosters. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
His arrival was shrouded in mystery, with a bout in the boxing ring complicating things and then some unscheduled knee surgery.
We knew he was coming to Christchurch, but not exactly when. I got a tip that Williams was in a cafe with his manager, the Canterbury and Crusaders chief executive and, I think, Todd Blackadder from memory.
A photographer was dispatched, but came back without photos.
He said he’d seen the group, but didn’t know which one of them Williams was, so didn’t take a pic. I’m still struggling to work out which rock that particular photographer had been living under.
I eventually met Williams the next day, who greeted me with “are you always this grumpy, cuz?’’
The reply from the Canterbury media manager confirmed that I was indeed always that grumpy.
Williams was a unique athlete who developed into a reasonable rugby player. His peak was probably 2012, when he played under Smith and Dave Rennie at the Chiefs.
He disappeared to the Roosters, via Japan, and was never as good at rugby again.
As much as I admire Manu as a rugby league player, I don’t see him even being the rugby player that Williams was. Few converts are. If I see a more direct comparison for Manu, it’s with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
I think Manu will get tried in a few spots and end up at 12, like Williams and Tuivasa-Sheck did.
Maybe 13, with an instruction just to carry and not worry about passing too much – and definitely not kicking.
But I don’t think he can make a successful transition to wing or fullback and will only become a middling midfield back.
I’ll be delighted to get proved wrong, but I suspect one of the impediments will be Toyota.
Williams had Smith in his ear all the time. Guys like Daryl Gibson and Tabai Matson helped develop his rugby brain. He had Daniel Carter playing inside him and smart alecs like Andy Ellis giving him good-natured stick anytime he made a hash of things.
Brad Thorn, who’d taken a long time to adapt to rugby after the Broncos, was there too.
When the earthquakes came, Williams had Smith waiting in Hamilton to take his game to the next level.
Manu will inherit Ian Foster when he gets to Toyota and I just don’t think he’ll get the same tutelage that Williams did.
It’s really hard to go from rugby league to rugby and, while elements are the same, Tuivasa-Sheck showed us that you can’t suddenly click your fingers and have the instinct for the 15-man game.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is tackled by Japan’s defence while representing the All Blacks. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)
If you’re half a second behind everyone else, you’re nowhere.
After 10 years out of rugby, Tuivasa-Sheck struggled. The fact he’s seamlessly slotted back into the Warriors proves how different the two games are.
I’m sure Manu will give himself every opportunity to succeed. Like Williams and Tuivasa-Sheck, he appears a good, professional athlete, with all the right off-the-field habits.
He has pace and strength, is a stout defender, possesses reasonable aerial skills and a degree of ball-playing ability. If there’s something that stands out most about Manu, it’s his stamina and workrate.
But rugby is a stop-start affair. The collision areas are keenly contested and what happens at the breakdown can have a marked effect on the outcome of matches.
You can’t just rise to your feet and play the ball.
I wish Manu well. I truly do. And, if I agree with Hansen on one thing, it’s that being out of the spotlight in Japan isn’t the worst outcome initially.
But Manu can’t hide there forever, if he is serious about rugby and not just marking time until James Tedesco retires.
It’s going to be an interesting journey, but one that I doubt will end with Manu having become an All Black of any particular note.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
too long to read.. I’m an outside back and watched him closely. Your kiwi commentators agree with me on this btw
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Ill happily agree to disagree on that. He isnt a conrad where the 13 runs the backline but they have JB at 12 doint that. What will be interesting is if Razor takes that back to the older era. Razor did tent to use a 12 to run his backs at the Saders tho so Im not really expecting that to change but he may not choose Reiko at 13. Another selection interest coming up but if Razor goes for experience I dont see Reiko losing out to anyone else. I think if the Saders were going better and Aumua was standing out at 13 that may have been different but Aumua isnt having the impact expected due to the Saders slump. ALB is probably the other genuine test option at 13 atm.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
SBW knew his place. He knew he wasnt a complete rugby player but had a skillset quite unique that was valuable. There is no way he was ever better than Smith but coaches knew his point of difference would work v Aus that day.
Filstrup
Roar Rookie
Not only is it absurd, but it appears to be a blatant attempt by Hamish Bidwell—the latest addition to the Roar.com.au experts team hailing from New Zealand—to “rehabilitate” SBW, -Jack of all trades, master of none-. This comes after the NRL condemned Sonny Bill Williams for his controversial remarks on the war in Gaza and his alleged incitement of hatred with a ‘cowards’ post on X. Just last week, SBW shared a post by the ‘influencer’ Andrew Tate, who is known for his misogynistic views and is currently facing criminal charges in both Romania and the UK. Williams shared a tweet from Tate following an attack on a Sydney bishop. So, here we go again. While everyone is entitled to their cultural beliefs and free expression on social media, it’s rather painful to endure the sight of his face on public television.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
He's improved a lot but still a ways to go. He's bombed a lot of breaks and tries at test level by not making the right choice that a natural 13 would have.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Yes, and the All Black coaches knew he could do that and knew at a crucial moment it could be useful. He and Nonu were also friends and had a much more mature and unjealous relationship than players in other countries competing for the same position and so this try is a fitting culmination to that.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Yeah I think he hasn't played wing for 3 years now. Probably no longer considered a project at 13. Will be very interesting to see Razors choices.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep Jacko, & now we have that idiot Sydney radio shock jock belittling SBW due to his religious beliefs in which SBW is right!
UnionHard PlayedLeague
Roar Rookie
All you guys get caught up with all the player comparisons and end up down a rabbit hole even age shouldn't be a factor it's all about desire have always loved union ( from NZ Grew up playing league all my life till a friend asked me to fill in for union at age 29 SNR 3 Grade club rugby started from the pine got 30min I was sold dropped out of league within six weeks was on the bench for SNRS got limited time played my way in to starting line-up year later their 3yrs was asked to trial NPC at age 33 played provincial 3yrs ) so like life if you want it you have to go get it. We are talking about grown men if they think themselves playing out of position they need to voice and prove where they want to play. I understand that getting in to the national team is difficult it is for everyone but making it is better than not.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
hes natural winger and been a project centre for years..
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Funily enough his greatest moment in rugby was with Nonu at 12 and he replacing Smith in that second half.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
No you cant go chasing maybe stars thats a fools folly. Chasing every promising 20yo is crazy when there are 25 Joey Manu's in NZ rugby at 20. Most dont become stars.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Is it not rugby if it's in France?
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
As was Benders brilliance at the back, that was far more noticeable with BB ending up scoring
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Not really Jacko! The team did! lol
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Ma’a & Conrad were up there with the best midfield combinations we’ve had, & in truth SBW was only part of that. Then again I agree he was a bench player under Ted, as we saw him coming off the bench in the final.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
I agree RTS was very badly used. However he was almost 90 which didn't help.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Yes but a couple were in France. Had he stayed the coaches would have had to open up the competition for centre instead of Nonu/Smith keeping it a closed shop. But his leaving simplified it for them.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Look at SBW's offload break to Nonu to turn the match in the 2015 final. That's not mediocre at all...
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
I watched plenty of them comfortably.