Offfield opportunities key for SBW but NRL return on cards
SYDNEY: Sonny Bill Williams has left the door open to making a return to rugby league, declaring offfield opportunities will guide his next career move.
Williams is targeting next year’s World Cup with the All Blacks but his future beyond that is undecided.
The dual international turns 34 next August and is weighing up ending an illustrious career spanning Australia, New Zealand, France, Japan, rugby league, rugby union, sevens and boxing.
Williams became a pariah in the 13man game after his walkout on the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2008 over a contract dispute.
He returned to play a leading role in the Sydney Roosters’ 2013 NRL premiership victory, only to again return to union, where he won the 2015 World Cup and played sevens at the 2016 Olympics.
He is eyeing his third World Cup next year but refuses to rule out a third stint in rugby league in 2020 and said opportunities to work with the Pacific community and in coaching would affect his decision.
‘‘I’m 34 next year. I’m just happy doing what I love doing,’’ Williams told Fox Sports.
‘‘I really want to affect my Pasifika people. With that comes responsibility.
‘‘I need more knowledge in that field, which I’m doing — I’m going for my coaching papers.
‘‘God willing I make it through next year and I make that World Cup side.
‘‘Then after that, I have to keep the wife happy and then if I do play on, it’ll have to be at a place where I can still have a voice.’’
Williams returned to the Roosters for two years in 201314 after a handshake agreement with Roosters chairman Nick Politis, which was struck following his first exit from the NRL.
In the past few years, there have been rumours Williams will end his career with the TriColours. He refused to give anything away about his future but said he regretted the way he turned his back on the Bulldogs, the club that gave him a start as a teenager.
‘‘I still stand by my decision to leave. Though as a young fella you’re a bit rash and you do things you probably regret,’’ Williams said.
‘‘I’m no different. I’m human. I make mistakes.
‘‘When it came to that decision to leave, although things weren’t going the right way off the field, I just felt like I was backed into a corner and that was all I could do.
‘‘Looking back now, if I was a lot more confident in myself as a man, I probably could have gone and spoken to the administration and told them, ‘Look, I’m going to leave if you don’t do what you guys promised me’.’’