Sonny Bill to play against Wallabies

[Burgs]

Sonny Bill to play against Wallabies

March 2, 2009 - 10:15AM

Former New Zealand rugby league international Sonny Bill Williams will return to Australia to play for the Barbarians against the Wallabies in June.

Williams, who switched codes in a blaze of publicity to join the Toulon club in France last year, is the first Barbarians invitee announced for the historic showdown at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The match will be the first for the world-famous Barbarians Club on Australian soil, and doubles as the 2009 season-opener for the Wallabies.

The remainder of the international contingent will be confirmed in May.

"I'm looking forward to playing for the Barbarians in Sydney and being on the field with some of the best rugby players in the world," New Zealander Williams said in a statement.

Australian Rugby Union CEO John O'Neill said the match would provide an opportunity to see how Williams' career had progressed since switching codes.

"He was a rugby league player of rare talent who is now midway through his first season of rugby in France," said O'Neill.

"At Toulon he is playing alongside a former long-serving All Black in Jerry Collins and against some of the finest players in the game on a week to week basis.

"I'm sure many people will look forward to seeing how his career in rugby has developed when he arrives with a Barbarians team that will be world-class and ready to take on our own Qantas Wallabies."

Tickets for the match go on sale next month.

AAP

[TOCC]

well, that should capture the NSW league supporters attention for a week at least

[Burgs]

As they pull out the knives and baseball bats to welcome him back?

[TOCC]

at the end of the day does it really matter, the turnstiles and TV ratings dont differentiate between a fan and a hater..

the more exposure for rugby the better

[welshrugbyfan]

I can't wait to see him play or the baa baa's on Australian soil.

Hopefully union's in his blood now and he'll stick with it. Unlike Rogers and anyone who went back to League. Can't count big Dell in that list, I don't think he's allowed to play union any more is he?

High profile names put the sport on tv and that's what we need. Any publicity is good publicity. Same with all the Lote talk on the other threads. Kids love players like that and it gets them playing the game so they can be like him. Big Dell was another great signing for the game, aside from the whole coke thing of course, but he did put bums on seats and kids loved him.

Kids love personallity in a player and a flash of brilliance helps. Honestly union needs more high profile super stars, like what Beks did for soccer.

SBW might just get a whole new audience of fans to our game.

[TOCC]

i agree, union does need more high profile super rugby stars, however the short season and no FTA cancel out most chances of that happening.

Its a exposure thing as well, union doesnt get in the papers as much as other sports, which in turn means less publicity and exposure for potential 'stars'.

[Burgs]

So which way do you turn the "chicken and the egg" steering wheel, positive to building such things and eventual prosperity or negative to mediocrity and national irrelevance?

With JO'N with the skippers cap I fear it to be the later

[jono]

i'm pretty sure that dell is allowed to play union again. he just chose to go back to leauge.

henners for ba ba's no9?

[TOCC]

So which way do you turn the "chicken and the egg" steering wheel, positive to building such things and eventual prosperity or negative to mediocrity and national irrelevance?

With JO'N with the skippers cap I fear it to be the later

which comment are you actually replying to?
i fail to see how the 'chick and egg' philosophy applies to what i said...

[Burgs]

It does in that you are listing a series of related things that are negatives impacting on each other in sequence.
Perhaps snowballing would be easier to recognise than the C&E analogy.

If you consider standing right on top of a mountain peak, which way are "we" (ARU) going to push the next snowball, the current Pay TV, therefore limited exposure for stars, therefore lack of genuine recognition for stars path or make changes to see the opposite reaction down a new path (probably shouldn't use slope ).

[beige]

With JO'N with the skippers cap I fear it to be the later

Yeah, you would...

As for the Baabaas game, I hope the Wallabies actually treat it like a Barbarians game this time - although, sitting as it does at the start of the test season, I'm not holding my breath.

[Burgs]

Seeings lots of positive initiatives flowing out of ARU HQ lately are you Beige?

[travelling_gerry]

Rugby league legends want fans to boycott Sonny Bill Williams' appearance

March 03, 2009 RUGBY league legends have called on Sydney fans to boycott Sonny Bill Williams's controversial appearance for rugby's Barbarians against the Wallabies at the Sydney Football Stadium on June 6.

Williams's inclusion in the UK-based invitational side has raised the hackles of many in the league community, who haven't forgotten the former Bulldogs star walking out on his club mid-contract last year to join French rugby club Toulon.

Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill happily admitted Williams would put "bums on seats", though he denied the move was a publicity stunt or an insult to league.

Bulldogs counterpart Todd Greenberg disagreed, however, saying that sports fans had "long memories".

Former league stars Tom Raudonikis and Steve Roach were less diplomatic, saying the game should be boycotted.




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Don't miss the SFS clash between the Wallabies and the Barbarians LIVE and Exclusive on Fox Sports from 7.30pm on Saturday, 6 June.


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"It's an absolute disgrace," Raudonikis said.

"He shouldn't even be allowed back in the country. They should send him straight back to New Zealand. I can't forget what he did to the Bulldogs. It was dreadful and unsporting. No one should go to the game.

"All Sydney sports fans should boycott the event. I reckon it's just a publicity stunt because the match is only three days after Origin I. I just don't rate Williams as a person. I would hate to be alongside this bloke in the trenches."
Roach added: "Only his family will go to the match. He has dudded everyone else. People won't forget how he left the Bulldogs."

Greenberg said that sports fans would be aware of Williams's unsporting departure.

"The Australian public are discerning and perceptive," he said. "I've no doubt they'll judge SBW for the decision he made."

O'Neill said there was no intention to insult the NRL or steal the limelight of its season or major events.

"Will he put bums on seats? I suspect he will. Would I be happy about that? Yes, I would," O'Neill said.

"We weren't involved whatsoever in his defection. It happened and it's been settled legally, and he's free to play. We're keen to see him play, and if he adds to the lustre, so be it."

Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri, meanwhile, welcomed the news of Williams's projected return to Australia.

"It's great that he has the chance to come back and play in Australia," Tuqiri said.

"I applaud him and applaud the organisers for getting him. He will certainly draw some attention to the occasion."


http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html

[pieter blackie]

I withdraw my comment

[beige]

Seeings lots of positive initiatives flowing out of ARU HQ lately are you Beige?

Yep