Is Sonny Bill heading home from Cup play?

The rumour is out. The controversial All Black selection of Sonny Bill Williams for the Rugby World Cup is rumoured to be heading back home from Japan before kick off because of an injury to a calf muscle that will take weeks to heal.

Assistant coach Ian Foster has insisted there is no injury and Williams will be staying on.

“He is not going home, he trained really well and is available for selection,” Foster said.

Really? Let’s wait and see. It must be noted that Williams is kingpin of the midfield backs when they take on South Africa in their opener at 7.45pm this Saturday.

If Sonny Bill, who has had many injuries this season, doesn’t make the starting 15 then that’s it. He will be coming home. So what happens if the All Blacks beat the Springboks?

They will then go on to probably play England in the semi finals. A loss and it’s an injury-prone Ireland. All attention will be on the Australia/ Fiji match and the prediction is Fiji will win.

Northland gave it their best in the 42-12 loss to Canterbury last Friday night in Whanga¯rei. In the first 30 minutes they were very competitive and should easily have scored a couple more tries.

But in the second half they lost their composure and that will to play 80-minute rugby. Regardless of the outstanding performance of midback Tamati Tua, Northland have substandard players that are finding provincial level difficult. It’s a worry to coach Derren Witcombe. The players are just not there.

Now the Taniwha face Bay of Plenty this Sunday at 4pm, a team second on the championship ladder. If the Northland players don’t believe in themselves — something they owe to their loyal fans — then they are in for another good hiding.

The urn will stay in Australia. A drawn Ashes series, the fifth test was a tiring one with England winning with a day to spare. A packed crowd and it was cricket at its best. A lot of sledging and hate, but the Aussies proved to be the better team. Now England will rest for a month then venture to New Zealand in November to face the Black Caps. And you know what? The Poms will get a hiding.

And that’s how Mat sees it.

"If the Northland players don’t believe in themselves — something they owe to their loyal fans — then they are in for another good hiding."