I’m not a superstar says the £5m man
SONNY BILL’S SWITCH
SONNY BILL WILLIAMS is the biggest name in rugby – but he does not like being compared to sporting icons LeBron James and David Beckham.
The 34-year-old has become the all-time highest-paid rugby player – from union or league – after signing a two-year deal with Super League newcomers Toronto Wolfpack worth an estimated £5 million-plus.
The Kiwi is already one of the most recognisable faces in two sports, having won two
World Cups with the All Blacks and two grand finals in the NRL.
And his sensational return to rugby league has seen Toronto chief executive Bob Hunter compare him to basketball legend James, piling the pressure on Williams to boost the club’s brand and the sport in North America.
Yet Williams insists he is not a superstar and remains the same humble bloke who was born into a poor family and grew up in a council house in Auckland.
He is adamant he has not joined Toronto to boost his bank balance but to create a legacy with what will be the last move of his glittering career.
Williams, who was unveiled at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday, said: “I’m not comfortable being compared to those guys.
“I just see myself as myself – a sportsman looking to achieve something on a rugby league field that hasn’t been done before.
“For me to say I don’t like those comparisons – it’s not me shying away from the pressure, I’m just saying I don’t see myself as a big star like that.
“I grew up in a commission house with no wallpaper. Providing for my family made me get up and work hard and, through all my ups and downs, that philosophy and my faith has made me the man I am today.”