Salford club's owner eyes Sonny Bill signing

Last updated 14:30 02/12/2013


Rugby league World Player of the Year Sonny Bill Williams may have been disappointing in the World Cup final but he remains in hot demand.

Super League club Salford's rich and ambitious new owner Marwan Koukash appears to have joined the queue for New Zealand dual international SBW's services.

Reputedly the biggest owner of race horses in Britain, Koukash signalled his interest in the Sydney Roosters' NRL superstar via Twitter.

''Met Sonny BW today. Great lad and looking forward to make it possible for him to wear our famous Red Shirt soon. Would be great for RL,'' he wrote.

Koukash took over struggling Salford this year, rebranding them the Red Devils, signing new players and declaring ambitions to make the club the biggest in the Super League.

Williams has already indicated he'll be part of the Roosters' NRL title defence next year and is then expected to rejoin Super Rugby's Chiefs back in New Zealand ahead of the All Blacks' title defence at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

But Koukash, a former refugee from Jordan, insisted he was serious about his interest and suggested Super League should ease its salary cap restrictions to give easier access to the likes of Williams and Australia's best players like Billy Slater and Greg Inglis.

''I promise you, it is not a wind up,'' he tweeted.

''Union players coming to RL are exempt from the Cap. Why not the likes of Sony BW, Billy Slater and Greg Inglis. Love the RFL to explain.''


http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/...y-Bill-signing