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Williams takes swipe at 'multi-million $ deals' for Jones and co

(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Former All Blacks midfielder Sonny Bill Williams has taken a swipe at the big money recently splashed out on Test-level coaches, insisting that this financial largesse must also trickle down to the players. Wales last month brought in Warren Gatland to replace Wayne Pivac while Steve Borthwick is now in charge of England where their ex-boss, Eddie Jones, has headed home to take the Australia job from Dave Rennie.

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Pivac, Jones and Rennie were all contracted by their teams through to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, so they each would have been entitled to decent payouts for suddenly losing their jobs, while Gatland, Borthwick and Jones would all have negotiated comfortable deals when deciding to take up their new roles.

It’s a situation that has now drawn a social media reaction from Williams, who tweeted: “Eight months out from the World Cup… all the talk is of multi-million $ deals for new coaches… not much talk about the brothers on the field.

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“Rugby seems to be in a better financial position than first appeared… let’s hope these big bucks and this good business makes it to the players at all levels too.”

Williams shared his thoughts on the Test coaching developments from the Middle East where he also tweeted about speaking to the Saudi Arabia Olympic committee. “Was great to speak to the Saudi Olympic committee about life, elite sports and life after sports.

“Massive potential for our game to grow in this region and throughout these communities – am excited to see what’s next. Saudi Olympic, look forward to seeing you again soon.”

The 37-year-old Williams was capped on 58 occasions by the All Blacks, featuring in three Rugby World Cups. He also played rugby league, starting out at the NRL Bulldogs in 2004, and boxed professionally at the heavyweight level.

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Comments

2 Comments
l
lot 804 days ago

so players can be paid millions but not the coach. how hypocritical! why did you demand millions while some of your team mates were paid peanuts SBW? Did you trickle down some of your payments? no way... If EJ can demand that value, how is it a problem. that's his worth.

P
Poe 804 days ago

Spot on SBW.

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J
JW 55 minutes ago
'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Well a) poor French results doesn’t seem to effect the situation much. In fact one of the reasons given for this selection policy is that the French don’t tune in for foreign rugby content on the other side of the world, at a time when theyre not having their vino. So who would know the results? And b) this is the crux of the matter, they are legally abided to play them as part of WRs tier 1 reciprocal tours programme. The only real choice for the SH team is to treat it the same, which is fine when teams are happy to do that, but the AB’s have a totally anthesis policy/mentality so would never use the games in the same way.


So alligned with b) the only real option is to complain to those in control. I suspect that’s why weve seen France reneging on the practice, and you can only be left to think that if they hadn’t reneged, WR would have done something more drastic about it. Which of course would mean not just telling them to bugger off when they want to tour, it’s no one playing them (from t1 at least) at all (assuming they have no interest in scheduling match’s outside the windows, like Ireland and NZ are doing).


Then of course that means no involvement of France in the Nations Championship. Which means they are automatically the last ranked team in 6N to qualify, so the actual worst team in 6N gets to compete in it, making a mockery of the promotion and relegation WR wanted to happen between T1 and T2 for qualifying purposes. Yup, b) is just something nobody wants to happen. Well done FFR and LNR for making the tour work instead (how well is yet to be seen).

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