SBW sticks with League

[TRF Mr Fish]

Will post a link and stuff when I get home, but otherwise it looks like he's sticking with the Roosters for another year.

 

[Jaguares]

Sonny Bill Williams has ended lingering doubts over his future, informing NZ Rugby that he will not return to the Chiefs next Super Rugby season:

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrug...iams-decides-against-a-return-to-super-rugby/

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Sonny Bill Williams has ended lingering doubts over his future, informing NZ Rugby that he will not return to the Chiefs next Super Rugby season:

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrug...iams-decides-against-a-return-to-super-rugby/

Cheers bud, saves me doing it.

Suffice to say it's very disappointing. The Chiefs midfield never really clicked this year without Kahui, and SBW would've filled one position and could've had a number of other players running off his shoulder. I think the Chiefs did extraordinarily well to win it this year, in spite of their weakness in the midfield, and I can't seeing them repeating that next year without SBW.

Unfortunately no players cemented themselves in as starting midfielders this season either. Aki, Horrell, Ngatai and TNW all put in some good performances, but I don't think any of them ruled themselves out or showed they deserved to start every match. We're basically at square one.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Come on man. The Chiefs won the Super Rugby title without Kahui and without SBW. I am happy he sticks with RL. It gives the other teams at least a chance at winning

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Come on man. The Chiefs won the Super Rugby title without Kahui and without SBW. I am happy he sticks with RL. It gives the other teams at least a chance at winning

Like I said, I think they won it in spite of their midfield. To be perfectly honest I thought the standard this year was pretty average. The Chiefs only really played a few good games (v Blues 1, v Crusaders 1, SF v Crusaders), otherwise they weren't really able to string together more than 50 minutes of quality play. They only won the final due to a few brain farts from Nic White and Jesse Mogg (though the reffing was dodgy at best), and they were thrashed by the Crusaders and well beaten by the Reds.

I think other teams will improve from 2013 to 2014 more than the Chiefs will, is basically what I'm saying.

 

[nickdnz]

Ok, now I'll be royally f*cked off if he makes the 2015 RWC squad

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

^ haha have to agree, I wouldnt of mind if he came back next year and played to 2015, but if he comes back in 2015 and makes the squad, I think ill actually feel sorry for the developing players in the midfield.

 

[Patchey]

Didn't see this coming tbh, I didn't think the NZRU would allow him to only come back in 2015 and play in the World Cup.

Very good news for the Roosters though.

 

[Packman]

I think the rest of the rugby world will breath a sigh of relief, its hard enough to be NZ as it is!


Looking forward to seeing SBW play in the rugby league world cup in a few weeks time. Although there may be a fair bit of cringing and wincing going on if they meet England... Still, I'll support the Kiwis in a final if they come up against the Kangaroos. The bottom line is that Sonny-Bill is a great talent and always worth watching.

 

[Sam Owen]

I think if the Roosters can keep their team together, they'll go to next years grand final.

I dont care where he plays and what code he chooses. I think if he came back to the All Blacks it will only improve the All Black chances of winning the next RWC.

 

[nickdnz]

I think if the Roosters can keep their team together, they'll go to next years grand final.

I dont care where he plays and what code he chooses. I think if he came back to the All Blacks it will only improve the All Black chances of winning the next RWC.

Alternatively we could steal the Cup and refuse to give it back. I personally couldn't give a cr*p about the RWC if we get it and keep it in a manner I'm not proud of - and signing SBW for the year of the RWC while some other poor guywho has been loyal misses out I'll genuinely support another team. Mark my words, if Sonny Bill Williams signs next year and makes the squad - I'm supporting England or South Africa. As it is I'll be happy for Australia or England to win the RLWC after what happened to Tohu Harris. Bottom line thinking doesn't justify it.

 

[jessta]

i pray he dosnt make the world cup squad now. great athlete but he thinks the sun shines out his own ass. its a pity organisations have let a player literally becoming bigger then the game. sonny bill can do what he wants, he has clubs wrapped around his finger. AB's dont need him, should focus on developing deserving players who work there backside off to make the squad.

 

[Larksea]

while it would have been good for him to come back now I didn't think he would. 2014 isn't a big year in terms of NZ rugby nothing really special going down other than I think England are going to tour. The only reason for him to come to NZ in 2014 would be to establish himself in the All Blacks for the big years to come after 2014.

2015 is World Cup
2016 is Olympic 7's
2017 is a lions tour

Those are the sort of things that will appeal to SBW. He should back himself to make the ABs again with just half a super rugby campaign.

After that I can see him having a crack at Heineken cup or similar to round off his carrier and bank a few more Monny Bills.

I agree with the observations re: sonny and the chiefs. The chiefs won this title even though they weren't as good as they where in 2012 - and generally had an unsettled midfield in 2013. overall the standard dropped a bit this year. chiefs won even though they only really had ~3 established established players in the back line - midfield was like musical chairs.