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By Lee Stace

IF THE current murmurs are true, then All Blacks and Chiefs midfielder Sonny Bill Williams is about to pass up a golden opportunity to create a rugby legacy when it seems to be well within his grasp.

The man with the famous 'SBW' initials has apparently decided what his future beyond this year holds. The New Zealand Rugby Union knows his intentions. So too do the Chiefs and some of his teammates.

But they are remaining tight-lipped, and Williams is not expected to announce his plans for another couple of weeks.

The early noise being made is that Williams will return to the NRL with the Sydney Roosters on a one-year deal via a playing sabbatical in Japan with Panasonic. All that needs to be thrashed out are the details around his future boxing commitments.

It will be shame if he does depart – and this is coming from a scribe who has thrown a few jabs at SBW for the way he has carried on since arriving in New Zealand two years ago to further his rugby odyssey.

My opinion of the 26-year-old as a player has changed in the last six months. (I still feel his boxing career – crafted from fighting ham-and-eggers – is a charade, even if he is currently in possession of the New Zealand heavyweight boxing title.)

Williams has shown this year, firstly with the Chiefs in Super Rugby and recently with the All Blacks against Ireland, that he has turned a corner in his rugby development. He has added new layers to his game to become a well-rounded second five, his game understanding has improved and he is playing some of the best 15-man code of his career.

So much so that incumbent All Blacks No 12 Ma’a Nonu would’ve been worried about his job working in midfield tandem with the always-reliable Conrad Smith later in the year.

Williams is beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. He appears to be getting the hang of this rugby lark and is standing on the doorstep of greatness.

To throw it all away now just when it appears he is maturing into a special player would be stupid.

But sadly it seems he is set to depart rugby before chiselling his legacy in stone.

What a pity.

Posted Comments

dodger

30-06-2012
18:31:03

i think youll find that SBW is the first of many gifted professional athletes to swap between the codes on short contracts aswell as box or whatever in between. if you could why wouldnt you? isnt there a league world cup coming up? he'll probably play for the roos! ha!

Paul Anderson

30-06-2012
12:25:41

After last nights effort, we would be better off without him!

Garth A

30-06-2012
11:36:47

The sooner that Sonny goes the better ;whoever said 'the hired gun' was correct and that idiot manager of his needs to pull his head in. And then I suppose he doesn't know much about loyalty.But seriously people were the AB's and NZ rugby doing OK before Sonny the answer is an emphatic YES and lets be fair here Sonny has been good because of the players around him and the systems he has played in-enough said

muzza

30-06-2012
08:39:27

if he is going get rid of him now from both the cheifs aand the blacks and get someone with committment to something other than the dollar

Mike

29-06-2012
14:17:14

Hi all SBW what an impact he has had.... We need to do all we can to keep him in Rugby in NZ for Rugby's sake. The influence a player like this has over future All Blacks is under-rated. All you need to do is look at the stats more females watchin the game which leads to more kids playing the game. We need a big sponsor to step up and sort it out or else rugby looses again.

Maverick

29-06-2012
11:43:38

C'mon Brian McE you are entitled to your opinion but theres no need to get personal.The tone of your comments is typical of the people that have been publicly bashing SBW in the media since he came to rugby.What he has accomplished in such a short time is extraordinary to say the least and if he is destined to go he leaves the great game we all love so much alot better of for having had him.The legacy he leaves in the form of youngsters trying to emulate him will only enhance the already MIGHTY ALL BLACKS.....Thanks & GodBless SBW.

wise navuvuvuru

29-06-2012
08:02:18

Hey c'mon Lee Stace please give SBW the chance,All Blacks can not offer the kind of money that league can offer so who cares about legacy when the green pastures on the other is much more greener..that makes sense.A cow would jump over the fence for that so why shouldn't he ? it would be good for the Wallabies and the Boks when SBW departs..go for it SBW don;t about what they are saying,they won't feed your family

chris mitchell

29-06-2012
05:17:47

at the start i wasn't to sure wether he could make the switch from rugby league to union.but is great to see him develop to good TEAM player....hmmm....sometime your heart has to be there ...normally a proud kiwi would give anything to wear the AB jersey....but money i guess talks alot more these days....does sonny have any real say in his contract???

olepete

28-06-2012
22:49:51

Gosh, no-one seems to like him. Perhaps he shouldn't have played so well?

lionel

28-06-2012
19:28:30

SBW is made for league and if he decides to go back good on him.i think people in nz are to hard on him.To ne honest he looks pretty average playing rugby.

CRZ38L

28-06-2012
17:11:09

Well you can thank his manager, Khoder Nasser for that. The same twerp who manages Quade Cooper and Anthony Mundine (anyone else starting to notice a common denominator here?). All you ever here is about SBW or QC heading back to/to league and you can bet it's Nasser who's stoking the flames. It guarantees big pay cheques for those he managers which in turn means bigger percenatges for him.

Dave mitchell

28-06-2012
17:08:35

SBW Has used the Canterbury Union and the Crusaders Franchise to progress through the ranks to All Black status. He moved from the Canterbury area due to the earthquake problem. It will be Interesting to see who he will play for in the I.T.M Cup. The Sooner he quits his I may or I may not, the better for the Rugby public on NZ. Personally I say good riddance as it appears that he will dictate to all if he stays and that is not good or fair on all of the other players in Godzone. Goodbye Money Bill.

Dave Mason

28-06-2012
17:03:05

SBW is a hired gun. Give another young fella a go - when Conrad ( midfield icon ) is retired we'll need another 'Bunce and Little' Cheers Dave

Brian McErlane

28-06-2012
17:01:06

I fully agree with you Lee but SBW does not know the meaning of the word loyalty, something every Great All Black is proud of. I agree again that the boxing is just a charade and just how muh money does this egotisical rugby league drop-out want?

Hermine

19-07-2012
04:27:09

As for other sports, who cares. If you're a Kiwi aethlte and you just happen to be good at rugby as well you play rugby. Izzy Dagg is one of the best cricketers in the country but thankfully he chose to play a decent sport and as a result the All Blacks have yet another weapon of mass distruction in their arsenal.Btw the Kiwis own the Rugby League World Cup, the Breakers have the NBL title and our rowers and sailors are the best in the world so not bad for a country 5 times your junior.

donny boy

01-07-2012
17:12:24

It will be a real shame to see him go. He seems to finally got a clear grasp of the game and now has a real awareness of space, position and timing. He would only go from strength to strength. Also I do feel he real long term future would be better set up by staying with the All Black brand. (one of the most recognised sporting brands in the world) going to the NRL is too short term and too narrow exposure. By sticking with rugby (I am fine with sabbaticals to make $$) he will increase he 'sellability'.

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