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Comments
sukkadoits says...
@kitch I remember watching his 1st game for Toulon. the English commentator, like you, prejudged him so badly he kept calling, with great content, how SBW was making terrible mistakes and was a terrible buy. Thing was, it was the polynesian player at 13 who he mistook for SBW that was playing terribly, SBW was mightily impressive out side Jonny Wilkinson. He did a great job for a poorly assembled Toulon team. Then he would forgo 2mil(correction from 1.2 mil) a season to come to NZ, played club in Christchurch(how egotistical is that!), displaced Ryan Crotty out of the Cant. ITM cup team on merit and played fantastically for the Crusaders,. Only an earthquake denied them last years Super title. He was the 2nd best 12 in NZ last year to Nonu, this year on form he is the best 12 in Super rugby, even world rugby. The Chiefs are the pacesetters, the ABs dominant, i reiterate, he has done the job for all teams YOU name in your 1st post. And you name Thorn as the other player that 'springs to mind'. Yes the great Brad Thorn is himself a 1 of a kind athlete, especially being the only RL forward to successfully adapt to union, he is on a mountain of his own. But does he box as well? This is where SBW is the only athlete of his kind, there are no peers for this.
Apart from his terrible Bulldogs incident(the Bulldogs did well out of that too $750,000) he has been nothing but professional and honest.
Posted 02:20 10th July 2012
Ripzy007 says...
Trinuts yeah that will be great to see you without teeth, and of course you will get the $$ for taking the dive
Posted 01:59 10th July 2012
Trinats2 says...
Ripzy007:
I'd take that up for $$. He has only fought overweight old blokes anyway !!!!
tha_mai:
We in the union circle do not hate anyone. Not sure of the pole but it had to be from league area, because rest of Aus would have never heard of SBW. I only did when he singed to Union.
Posted 08:02 09th July 2012
tha_mai says...
Good luck to him - and honestly, who wouldn't do the same? Next game could be the end of any rugby player's career, and you're a long-time retired.
As to the haters, sure SBW is well-used to ignoring those; when he left Oz in 2008 they voted him #1 in the annual Top 50 People We Hate List. Yes they have a vote each year. He beat the Bali bomber (killed about 200 people) who was #2. Go figure . . .
Posted 04:52 09th July 2012
Ripzy007 says...
Wouldn't it be great to have Trinats & SBW in the Ring...wish the former have the guts to spill on various forums as to step in the ring or the rugby field for that matter...just saying...
Posted 02:02 09th July 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
JRHartley, 5 ft 6... whoops, midget
Posted 00:32 09th July 2012
Trader2 says...
I agree with @shsvs those who think it is just about money do not understand what drives an elite sportsman (most probably because they have never been close to "elite" in anything they have done in their lives). If the story is correct it is easy to see what SBV is aiming for 1. To play League for the Kiwi's, 2. A world champ in boxing 3. Pay again for the AB's at the WC in 2015. Not a bad legacy to leave the kids and I suspect if it happens he will be viewed a little differently in 10-20 years. I don't like boxing or League myself but if thats the plan good luck SBW and hopefully we will see you back in all black 2014.
Posted 00:14 09th July 2012
philb87 says...
This is hardly a surprise.
The move was on the cards and Steve Hansen and co probably predicted it, giving Nonu is 5 week rest to rejuvenate him for the Rugby Championship.
As for SBW, he's a freakish talent and good luck to him in the future. Some may not enjoy the circus that follows him, but whether he follows money or not is irrelevant. A sportsman has a short career and whether he chooses money over his heart is up to him and him alone.
Dumptackle rugby blog have just produced a rather intriguing article on the whole SBW situation. Nonu and Smith seem the obvious starters now for the AB's, but what about a strategy change with Cruden and Carter at 10/12 as a backup plan. As they said in the article...it could be mana from heaven!
Posted 23:13 08th July 2012
davodiablo says...
Become a legend and you earn the cash after the rugby has gone.
Posted 22:43 08th July 2012
kitch says...
@sukkadoits.."done the job for all teams"..?? what u smokin man!..the kiwis didnt win ,his french club didnt win, crusaders didnt win.. but to give you your due he did a great job for the ABs ON THE BENCH!! "turned down 1.2mil".. bc even in his simple mind, the AB jersey is far more valuable! "100000 to chch".. that was a great gesture, but to put on my pessimistic hat, thats like me giving $10 ! and i hear other wealthy sports people gave just as much and in some cases more, but didnt feel the need to say to everyone LOOK AT ME!! Brad thorne is a player that springs to mind .. he conquered both codes winning 2 world cups as a starting 80min player bc he was the best in his position, and i recall his team done pretty well up north this year too!.. the big difference being he has loyalty, respect and perseverance! PEOPLE PLEASE dont compare sbw to lomu, or campese!!.show some respect for 2 truly great legends.. .they got whole stadiums on there feet whenever they got the ball. when he gets awarded irb player of the year by his peers just ONCE ,then maybe we can call him great!... i agree with others the likes of a fit kahui is a far better option. "Master of the offload!!".."changed the way rugby is played" !!.. i see kids and other players doing just as good offloads and hes stuffed up a fair amount of offloads too, but of coarse we cant mention those!! For a centre as big as he is he should be good at it!.. and therein lies the issue.. he hasnt lived up to his potential but acts as if he is gods gift to the game.
Posted 20:54 08th July 2012
quietbrit says...
He has chosen to walk a hard path - if he triumphs in all his endeavors he will be remembered by far more people than he would if he built a reputation in a single discipline. If he falls even a little bit short he will be remembered in Union circles as one who fell short of his potential...
Still, I wish him the best of luck - turning his back on legacy building to pursue another path takes guts.
Posted 20:31 08th July 2012
shsvs says...
So many haters in here...same as this "article" just talking about money, why should it be the only motive??
What about he wants to try another exciting country? He won't set his career there but a year somewhere else is nice too, no any expats on PR?!
Posted 16:31 08th July 2012
sirtidychris says...
Sonny Bill is an amazing athlete and had the potential to be a legend of the union game, but he doesn't understand that there is soo much more to sport than earning money. Sport offers the select few a chance to be remembered in the pages of history however alongside talent you have to show loyalty and character. Sonny Bill and his dubious manager are more interested in making money than staying with one team/sport and creating something special, in a way you can't blame him, its just his approach, but its just soo disapointing for us all to watch him throw away a chance to achieve something really special. Perhaps when he is old he will wonder what could have been when people talk about the greatest all blacks, Colin meads, Sir Richie, Carter, Lomu etc and his name is nowhere to be seen.
Posted 14:16 08th July 2012
JRHartley says...
to add to the serious rugby debate here... I've just looked the SBW photo attached to this article and I think all 5'6" of me could have him in a fight... BOOM, that's right - keep running scared NZ
Posted 13:49 08th July 2012
atg77 says...
He's honoured his contract with NZ and has every right to seek out new challanges. Maybe he just doesn't want to be stuck in a small town in the prime of his life and wants to experience new things? Or perhaps he wants to win a league world cup and come back to win another with the All Blacks? I don't think its necessarily about the money...
Posted 13:19 08th July 2012
georgesmith says...
I dunno... it looked pretty selfish player act for SBW not to pass the ball wen he had 3 players in the clear and Chiefs wud hev avoided a loss and also derailed Crusaders playoff chances. Then again, maybe he was thinking aloud bout getin a try near the posts so dat the conversion goes over and Chiefs avoid a loss. SBW is great but at the moment, ABs are far greater den any individual be it SBW, McCaw or Carter. Too many greats in the frame.
Posted 12:54 08th July 2012
Trader2 says...
@Trinats never did see those things said about SBW, only in your mind old son. 7/29 how much tougher do you want it to be
Posted 12:29 08th July 2012
startledwombat says...
This is all fair enough. I'm guessing we will see him in the All Blacks in 2015. And the kiwis would take him to the World Cup.
If it was all about money he'd be playing American football.
Because of his ability in the offload he has already changed how we think about the game.
He has also shown a professional's approach to growing as a player - from such basics as using the arms as well as the shoulders in the tackle, to attacking penetration himself and scoring tries with the ball in hand, to his mission to improve himself as a defensive player.
Posted 12:18 08th July 2012
abfixit says...
For all his talent, SBW appears not to have learnt that his money-earning ability lies not only in his physical ability. MHO is that his off-field earnings would have soared compared with onfield paypacket if he remained in NZ rugby and possibly maintain a high enough standard to stay an AB. I think his management should be looking at endorsements at this stage of his career rather than a bigger paypacket. Mind you the management may be paid by the 'size' of the onfield cheque.
Posted 12:00 08th July 2012
Kiwiingermany says...
Kitsch is right. How mayn centres do we have in New Zealand. I wouldn't even suggest comparing the intellectual qualities of Conrad Smith and so-called Sonny Boy Williams. He is NO loss.
Posted 10:58 08th July 2012