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'You never know': SBW refuses to rule out move into coaching
Former All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams says that while he doesn’t see himself becoming a professional rugby coach any time soon, he hasn’t ruled that out becoming a prospect further down the line.
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Speaking to ex-All Blacks teammate Israel Dagg and former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum on SENZ, Williams discussed his transition into a post-playing career after he hung up the boots earlier this year.
In doing so, he brought down the curtain on a glittering career in both rugby union and rugby league, where he won two Rugby World Cups, two NRL Premierships, one Super Rugby title, played at the 2016 Rio Olympics, played in 58 All Blacks tests and won 12 Kiwis test caps.
The 36-year-old’s last appearance as a professional footballer came during last year’s NRL, where he turned out for the Sydney Roosters on a loan deal after having previously signed a two-year, $10m deal with the now-defunct Toronto Wolfpack.
Since retiring, Williams has moved into the media realm as a rugby league and rugby union pundit on Channel Nine and Stan Sport in Australia.
He is also aiming to resurrect his professional boxing career and has helped mentor young players at the Roosters this year, but the former dual-code sensation told SENZ that he isn’t looking to move into professional coaching – not yet, at least.
“You never want to close any doors,” Williams told Dagg, who he played alongside at the All Blacks and Crusaders between 2010 and 2017, and McCullum.
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“Being a sportsman for close to 20 years, it’s always close to my heart and it’s something that you just get used to doing, so to speak.
“I’m a big believer in not hoarding any type of that experience, especially with the younger fellas, helping them out with what works for you and what didn’t, but, at the same time, I’ve got a young family and I love being at home with my kids.
“To be honest, the coaching gig is a full-on lifestyle. We as players, we play the game but then, as soon as the game is finished, we’ll leave and go back home to our families.
“Coaches, they play the game, but then they’re back home, they’re doing the video analysis, all of that type of stuff, breaking down next week, so it’s a full-on gig.”
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Although he acknowledged that family commitments with his wife and four children present too big of a hurdle to allow him to jump into coaching at this point in time, Williams didn’t rule out the prospect of becoming a coach in the future.
The fallout continues from the All Blacks’ no-show for Bledisloe Cup game three, with two key Wallabies ruled out of the rescheduled Rugby Championship in Perth. #Wallabies #BledisloeCup #RugbyChampionship https://t.co/whDQ2iHXdD
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“Maybe I wouldn’t mind one if the kids get a little bit older, helping out in some capacity.
“But, at the moment, I just help out a few guys here and there in regards to getting things sorted off the field and getting them prepared and help them get the best of themselves to be able to perform on the field.
“At this stage, probably not, but you never know in the future.”
Williams’ comments come three months after former NRL star Matty Johns revealed he and his brother, ex-rugby league great Andrew, were looking into the possibility of coaching the Samoan rugby league team alongside Williams.
The older Johns brother said he, Andrew and Williams would Toa Samoa for free after their current head coach, Matt Parish, came under pressure from the playing group to keep his job ahead of this year’s Rugby League World Cup.
“They’ve got a head coach at the moment there. But I spoke to Joey (Andrew) again about it today, and yeah (we are serious), definitely,” Johns said on Sunday Night with Matty Johns in May.
“We’ve got full-time jobs so I don’t know how it would work out, and Joey has been talking to Sonny Bill Williams as well.
“We would do it for nothing. Quite seriously, and Joey is the same, you wouldn’t take a cent. Sonny wouldn’t.
“It would be a bit of three-way coaching. I don’t know how it would work, but in my opinion Samoa should be emulating what Tonga are doing.
“There should be a goal that within a couple of years Samoa should be beating Australia, like Tonga have been doing.
“I want to be respectful because they do have a coach, but if something happens then Joey [Andrew] and I are available.”
However, Samoan rugby league bosses have held firm in their support of Parish, keeping the Australian coach at the helm of Toa Samoa as they continue preparations for the Rugby League World Cup, which kicks-off in the United Kingdom in October.
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments