Sonny Bill Williams warned not to go on the field

[jargan83]

Sonny Bill Williams warned not to go on the field

By Lisa Davies

August 14, 2008 10:35am


RUNAWAY rugby league star Sonny Bill Williams will be pursued for contempt of court if he walks on to the field for his French rugby union club within the next 24 hours.

An injunction ordered by the NSW Supreme Court was continued today, with lawyers for the NRL and Bulldogs telling court the former league star had been notified of it.

In a mention before the duty judge today, Bulldogs barrister Arthur Moses said if Williams played for Toulon in a trial match scheduled for tomorrow morning, the club would "have to take the next step in relation to contempt".

Within 24 hours of Williams playing, the court has granted the Bulldogs and NRL permission to initiate contempt of court proceedings.

In effect, Williams can then potentially be found to have defied the orders of the court - a criminal offence - for which punishments range from jail to seizure of assets.

Last week the court warned Williams off playing, with officials going to great lengths to serve an injunction on the star. He played anyway.

Williams had no legal representation in court today. The case will come back before the court on September 4.

Williams left Sydney on July 26 for Europe, having apparently dumped the Bulldogs for a better offer from the Toulon club, a two-year contract reported to be worth $3 million.

Sonny Bill Williams warned not to go on the field | The Daily Telegraph

[jargan83]

Sonny Bill Williams' ticket to France revealed

By Josh Massoud

August 14, 2008 12:00am

THIS is Sonny Bill Williams' ticket out of Australia - and his magical mystery tour through Europe has continued with a training camp in the French Alps.
While lawyers for the Bulldogs and NRL prepare to appear before the NSW Supreme Court this morning, the fugitive defector is believed to be hiding out with his new Toulon rugby mates at a secret base in France.

The Daily Telegraph understands Williams has continued to evade attempts to notify him of today's proceedings, travelling with the team to a training camp near the Swiss border.

Williams has not been publicly sighted since his first appearance for Toulon last Saturday, and almost four weeks have passed since he departed Sydney on BA16 to Singapore.

The Daily Telegraph yesterday obtained a copy of the passenger card Williams handed to Australian Customs officials prior to his stunning departure on July 26.

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Travelling on a Samoan passport, and calling himself "Sonnywilliam", the controversial star revealed that he intended to stay eight months in France during his time abroad.

On the card, Williams described his usual occupation as "sportsman" - distinct from a rugby league player.

NRL solicitors Tony O'Reilly successfully subpoenaed the card as part of their legal quest to prevent the 23-year-old from playing another match for Toulon in breach of his five-year deal with the Bulldogs.

Toulon's next match is scheduled for tomorrow morning AEST time - a home trial against Stade Toulousain.

Given process officers failed to serve before his debut, this game shapes as the crucial pointer in determining whether Williams has breached the Supreme Court injunction.

O'Reilly is confident Williams was adequately notified of the injunction after last Saturday's match, when a female server managed to approach him with court documents. The footballer refused to accept the papers.

Today's court case is expected to see NRL and Bulldogs lawyers request more to time to collect further evidence and continue to press service upon Williams.

Having commenced an expensive and drawn-out court action, the NRL is determined to see it through and wants to reach a position for criminal charges to be laid should Williams continue to defy the court's order.

If he was found guilty of contempt of court, Williams would face the prospect of arrest and jail if he returned to Australia or even passed through an Australian airport.

Civil contempt could see Williams stripped of all his Australian assets - including his $1.3 million property in Caringbah.

The Bulldogs are also pursuing him for damages.

To assist the Belmore club, NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert has provided an affadavit to the court detailing Williams' worth to the Bulldogs and his contractual obligations.

In his affadavit, Schubert wrote: "The contractual payments to which Williams is entitled . . . make him among the top ten highest paid players in the game over the last three years.

"In my opinion there is no doubt he is an elite or marquee player."





Sonny Bill Williams' ticket to France revealed | Daily Telegraph

[lara93]

yeah dont run on the field sonny...

[Thequeerone]

Why do I want him to win this

[force addict]

oh dear. his real name is sonny william williams rofl no wonder its Sonny Bill.

i dont really understand this:

THIS is Sonny Bill Williams' ticket out of Australia - and his magical mystery tour through Europe has continued with a training camp in the French Alps.

is sonny in court because he broke his contract before it officially ended?

[lara93]

oh dear. his real name is sonny william williams rofl no wonder its Sonny Bill.

ahah
poor thing

[jargan83]

Why do I want him to win this

I don't know either?? As far as I know he is challenging the validity of the Salery Cap which would have consequences for every sport in Australia that has one, Rugby included

is sonny in court because he broke his contract before it officially ended?

got it in one

[Thequeerone]

If someone is in a contract they don't like isn't there get out clauses for both parties - can't see Australian Law upholding well paid slavery

[jargan83]

If someone is in a contract they don't like isn't there get out clauses for both parties - can't see Australian Law upholding well paid slavery

i don't see how it's slavery, the Bulldogs were more then accomadating towards him, he sought the long term deal. A contract is a contract, he didnt seek to get out of, he just ran like a coward and now he has to face the consequences of it

[BLR]

i don't see how it's slavery, the Bulldogs were more then accomadating towards him, he sought the long term deal. A contract is a contract, he didnt seek to get out of, he just ran like a coward and now he has to face the consequences of it

If Ronaldos 160 pound a week contract with Man U can be described as slavery by on of the heads of UEFA I am sure Sonny Bill is doubly so, not to mention he was stuck in the mungo sport.

[jargan83]

If Ronaldos 160 pound a week contract with Man U can be described as slavery by on of the heads of UEFA I am sure Sonny Bill is doubly so, not to mention he was stuck in the mungo sport.

The sport has nothing to do with it BLT. He breeched his contract. If he's a slave for $500,000 a year where do i sign up?
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[GIGS20]

Well I don't think it's slavery in the current Australian IR climate. Even without the AWAs that Liberal are famous for Aussies have always been able to negotiate contracts where they trade off all sorts of rights for salary increases. The only things you can't play with are anti discrimination law type stuff.

SBW didn't seek to buy out of his contract, whihc would have been allowable, neither did he attempt to invoke or manufacture a situation which would have triggered an exit clause, he just took off. I reckon it's a big bunfight which will be argued over Australian contract law, if the boy doesn't do anything silly enough to cause criminal proceedings to begin. If he's prosecuted as a criminal, he'll be able to be deported. While deportation is at the pleasure of the French government (and since when have they bothered to help anybody else) I'd reckon the Aussie government would wave some pretty flash carrots towards them as it will have an impact on other sporting contracts, if not all awards! I'm sure a good lawyer could argue a case that an award is a defacto salary cap, then where would we be?

[welshrugbyfan]

The Bulldogs are just trying to save face and it will be being pushed along by the NRL.

They have to be deemed to taking a tough stance or it will be a free for all when other rats start jumping the ship.

Toulon will pay the Bulldogs an undisclosed amount pretty soon as they don't want SBW sitting on the bench if he's contracted to play for them.

It will all blow over and nobody will have lost face. Mundine will come out with some stupid comments and soon there will be another news story filling back pages of papers.

[AndyS]

Wonder if he could defend it on the grounds that the NRL failed to ensure him a safe working environment?

[bort]

Wonder if he could defend it on the grounds that the NRL failed to ensure him a safe working environment?

i really doubt that