'Freak of nature': Former All Blacks boss Steve Hansen reveals 'best athlete I ever coached'
Steve Hansen has revealed the best athlete he ever coached in his illustrious rugby career spanning 24 years.
The former All Blacks coach was spoilt for choice with players he mentored as an assistant from 2004 until 2011 and as the head coach from 2012 until 2019, with the likes of Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Kieran Read and Keven Mealamu – among many others – enjoying stellar careers under him.
But speaking to The Daily Telegraph in Australia, Hansen labelled former All Black, now Sydney Rooster, Sonny Bill Williams as “a freak” and “the best athlete I ever coached”.
“The greatest rugby player I’ve coached was (Richie) McCaw but Sonny would be the best athlete I’ve coached from a pure athlete sense,” Hansen said. “He’s a freak of nature.”
Hansen mentored Williams in the All Blacks in two separate stints between 2011 and 2019. He stepped down from the role after last year’s World Cup, which Williams competed in, with 93 wins in 107 tests – an 87 percent winning rate, the best by any rugby coach with at least 15 games under their belt.
He also described Williams as a “role model.”
“Sonny is 35 now but he’s been an active athlete for a long time and he really looks after himself. He’s a freak of nature,” Hansen said.
“There is no reason, as long as he stays injury-free, that he won’t do the job. He had been out of league for a while before coming back and going to Toronto, but he’s just such a good athlete.
“As he has got older, he has matured. His training habits and his off-field habits are world-class now. He will be a good role model for the young fellas in the club.”
Williams was a part of New Zealand’s World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015, coming off the bench in both finals. Against Australia in the 2015 decider, he executed a pivotal play – offloading to a rampaging Ma’a Nonu who beat a handful of defenders to score, handing New Zealand a comfortable 18-point lead early in the second half.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpx2ElAwgQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Hansen said that pass was a perfect example of why Williams is so impressive.
“That is the sort of thing he can do, can’t he? He can do things other people can’t do.”
Williams’ unique combination of strength and skill has made him one of, if not the, greatest rugby code-hopper, with titles in the NRL and world rugby coupled with mesmerising performances.
“There are a lot of similarities (between rugby league and union). You have that rushed defence and a shorter offside line than we have so you can learn things from that,” Hansen said.
“They are two different games but the fundamentals are the same.”
Williams has 118 NRL games to his credit and 24 tests with the Kiwis, as well as 58 test caps with the All Blacks. During his time with the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues in Super Rugby, he gained 61 caps.
Hansen said he keeps an eye on the NRL and will watch Williams’ return with keen interest. Tomorrow night will mark the 35-year-old’s first match in the competition in six years, where he is set to come off the bench in the Roosters grand final rematch against the Raiders in Canberra.
Meanwhile, Hansen said with no All Blacks games on-field yet, he feels no sense of loss having stepped away from coaching. A Bledisloe series and Rugby Championship have both been discussed between respective Sanzaar unions for 2020, but nothing has been finalised.
But Hansen expects if there is an All Blacks game soon, he will feel it.
“I’m sure there will be a tug in the old heart when they finally get out onto the track. But Fossie [Ian Foster] will do a great job with them I’m sure, and I’m really excited for him to take the team to the next level.
“It will be exciting to watch.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
80 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments