SBW won two World Cups with the All Blacks. He says his NRL premierships mean more

November 18, 2019 6:55AM


Sonny Bill Williams holds his two NRL premierships with the Bulldogs and the Roosters above his World Cup wins with the All Blacks.

The dual-code superstar, who recently signed a $10 million two-year contract with the Toronto Wolfpack, has won just about every award on offer in both league and union.

Williams won two premierships in league with the Bulldogs in 2004 and the Roosters in 2013 and two World World Cups with the All Blacks in 2011 and 2015.

However Williams admitted to The Telegraph, that his two NRL titles still rate as his greatest achievements.

“From a sporting point of view? I guess it would have to be the NRL championships that I was a part of – they were a bit more special than anything else. Growing up as a league man, you envisage those moments so much,” Williams said.

“It has been an unbelievable journey to be an All Black. But when I hear some of the boys, like Sammy Cane, talk about the jersey and how much it means to them, I see the same in me when I was young – except that I was dreaming of playing in NRL.”

It is a significant admission from the dual international, given the reverance that the All Blacks jersey holds in New Zealand culture and how hard World Cups are to win.

However the 34-year-old is focused on creating new milestones with the Wolfpack ahead of his first season with the Super League club.

"As Toronto players, I think we’re going out there to turn some heads,” Williams said.

“But then also the amount of support the lads have back in Toronto, it sounds crazy.

“It’s a journey, there’s a bit of pressure there but it’s so exciting.

“But I just go back to the conversations that I had with Brian [McDermott, Wolfpack coach]. Yes, I’m a sportsman, but I need to have that purpose, something I really believe in, and just his philosophy, how he wants to play the game, I feel like the way I strive to play the game, I could be really suited to their style of play.”

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/ru...277f80725654ba

Bloody Mungo

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr

Bloody Mungo

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haha

deadset

Turn it up, you blokes...

The bloke's a bloody imbo.

Would have been interesting to see where he would've rated New Zealand's historic Rugby League World Cup victory in 2008, had he played in it.

Rememver he was a sub for most of both campaigns.

He was subbed on in the 2011 semi against Australia and got the yellow card, his finest moment..

He barely spent any time on the paddock during any of New Zealands world cup knockout games in 2011 or 2015. He played about 30min of the world cup final in 2015 which still wasnt much but probably his longest game conveniently.

If you were a supersub for the All Blacks you probably would value the premierships where your treated like a demi god in a very small pool of talent more so than a tournament you barely contributed in. In real rugby he barely made any impact, even the Chiefs didnt need him when they claimed there second super rugby title.