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Sonny Bill Williams mega-million dollar code move could see him switch allegiance at World Cup

Sonny Bill Williams. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Sonny Bill Williams’ rumoured cross-code move from rugby union to Canadian-based English Super League outfit the Toronto Wolfpack could bring with it a switch of allegiance at the international level of the 13-man game.

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According to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald released on Saturday, Williams is expected to accept a lucrative two-year contract with the Wolfpack, reportedly worth just under NZ$10 million, by the end of this week.

International Rugby League officials are hopeful that the move will benefit the game worldwide, especially with the Rugby League World Cup set to be held in England in 2021.

IRL chief executive Nigel Wood recalls the impact Williams had at the 2013 World Cup, where the 34-year-old was named player of the tournament after helping steer the Kiwis to the final.

“Sonny Bill was one of the greatest attractions at the 2013 World Cup, it was memorable for me when New Zealand played Samoa at Warrington and he slipped over the dead-ball line without getting the ball down, which brought the game alive,” Wood said to the SMH.

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“He’s a quality athlete and if athletes like him are playing rugby league that is the best thing that can happen.”

Whether Williams would commit himself to the Kiwis at the next World Cup, which would probably act as his professional sporting swansong, has come under scrutiny, however.

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Prior to playing his final game for the All Blacks during New Zealand’s 40-17 victory over Wales in the Rugby World Cup bronze medal match in Tokyo on Friday, Williams spoke of his hopes of seeing more Pacific Islanders or Maori included within the national coaching ranks.

The two-time NRL champion is eligible to play for either the Kiwis or Samoa upon his impending arrival back to rugby league, but his comments in Japan may be indicative of where his international future in the sport could lie.

He holds a Samoan passport, and was heavily pursued by ex-New Zealand and Samoan star Nigel Vagana to play for the Pacific Island nation at the 2013 World Cup.

Williams spoke of the pride he has for his Samoan heritage when visited the country in 2014 as part of an NRL promotion while he was playing for the Sydney Roosters.

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“I’m embarrassed I can’t speak Samoan, but I tend to show how proud I am by acknowledging [my heritage] with my tattoos,” he told a large audience at the promotional event.

His addition to the Toa Samoa set-up would be a welcomed addition for head coach Matt Parish, whose side was thumped 44-20 by Fiji at Eden Park on Saturday.

The result leaves Samoa well behind World Cup contenders Australia, New Zealand, England and Tonga, and Parish expressed the need for his side to play more games in the lead-up to the showpiece tournament in two years’ time.

“I need to be a bit careful here, but the fact is Tonga have some momentum, and on the back of talking to influential people in the NRL they’ve been able to get [more] games,” he said.

“It’s deservedly so. [But] we need games. You can’t have New Zealand playing four games [against Australia, Great Britain and Tonga] and we play one. How is that fair? How do we get players, money, sponsorship?”

Perhaps the answer to Parish’s concerns lies within the Wolfpack’s anticipated deal with Williams, but only time will tell.

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JW 8 minutes ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

Lol you need to shoot your editor for that headline, even I near skipped the article.


France simply need to go to a league format for the Brennus, that will shave two weekends of pointless knockout rugby from their season and raise the competitions standards and mystique no end.


The under age loophole is also a easy door to shut, just remove the lower age limit. WR simply never envisioned a day were teams would target people under the age of 17 or whatever it is now, but much like with Rassie and his use of subs bench, that day was obviously always going to come. I can’t remember how football does it, I think it’s the other way around with them, you can’t sign anyone younger than that but unions can’t stop 17 or 18 yo’s from leaving for a pro club if they want to. There is a transaction that takes place of a few hundred thousand for a normal average player. I’d prefer rugby to be stricter and just keep the union bodies signoff being required.


What really was their problem with Kite and co leaving though? Do we really need a game dominated by Internationals? I even think WR’s proposed calendar might be a bit too much, with at minimum 12 top tier games being played in the World Championship. I think 10 to 12, maybe any one player playing 10 of those 12 is the best way to think of it, for every international team is max, so that they can allow their domestic comps to shine if they want, and other nations like Japan and Fiji can, even some of the home nations maybe, and fill out their calendar with extra tours if they like them as a way to make money. As it is RA don’t have as good a pathway system, so they could simply buy back those players if they turn good. Are they worried they’ll be less likely to? We wait for baited breath for the new season to be laid out in front of us by WR.

It could impose sanctions on the Fédération Française de Rugby, but the body which runs the Top 14 and the ProD2, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby, is entirely independent.

It’s not independent at all. The LNR is a body under, and commissioned by, the FFR (and Government control) to mediate the clubs. FFR can simply install a new club competition if they don’t listen, then you’d see whether the players want to stay at any club who doesn’t tow the line and move to the new competition, as they obviously wouldn’t fall under the auspice of world rugby. They would be rebels, which is fine in and upon itself, but they would isolate themselves from the rest of the game and would need to be OK with that. I have no doubt whatsoever that clubs would have to and want to fall in line to remain part of the EPCR and French rugby. Probably even the last thing they would want is to compete with another French domestic competition that has all the advantages they don’t.


All those players would do good for a few seasons in France, especially the fringe ones, with thankfully zero risk of them being poached if they turn good. New Zealand had a turn at keeping all of it’s talent, and while it upticked the competitiveness of the Super Rugby teams into a total dominance of Australian and South African counterparts (who were suffering more heavily than most the other way at that stage), it didn’t have as positive an effect on the next step up as ensuring young talents development is not hindered does. Essentially NZR flooded the locate market with players but inevitably it didn’t think the local economy could sustain any more pro teams itself, so now we are seeing a normal amount of exodus for the availability of places again. Are Australia in exactly the same footing? I think so, finances where dicey for a while perhaps but I doubt they are putting money constraints on their contracting now. It’s purely about who leaves to open up opportunity.

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Colin Friels 2 hours ago
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