How Islam saved ‘wild’ Sonny Bill

He may have just signed the most lucrative contract in either rugby or league, but Sonny Bill Williams says he’s not driven by money.

Williams wants to be known as someone who challenged himself. It probably goes a long way to explaining why the cross-code star never stayed in one place. It was a major factor in his decision to play for Canada’s rugby league pioneers, the Toronto Wolfpack.

Over the last 10 years, Williams has found the perfect foil that has helped him reach: Islam.

In an interview with BBC Sport, the former All Black opened up about his faith.

‘‘Alhamdulillah [thanking God] means everything,’’ Williams said. ‘‘Drinking a glass of water – Alhamdulillah. Having an opportunity to speak to you – Alhamdulillah. Seeing my wife and kids – Alhamdulillah.

‘‘I always have my creator in the front of my mind.’’

Williams converted to Islam in 2009 while playing rugby for French club Toulon.

It came after a ‘‘wild’’ period early in his career where he found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons and eventually walked out on his contract with NRL club Canterbury Bulldogs.

‘‘Look, I chased girls. I drank alcohol, spent lavishly and thought I was someone that I wasn’t,’’ he told BBC Sport. ‘‘I lived that life and, in my experience, what did it give me? Hollowness and emptiness in my heart.’’

‘‘It took a few years for the process, but I found Allah, I found Islam and it really allowed me to turn the wildness in myself into positivity.

‘‘With the way that I have driven as a sportsman to succeed, those two together have allowed me to reach

‘‘Look, I chased girls. I drank alcohol, spent lavishly and thought I was someone that I wasn’t. I lived that life and what did it give me? Hollowness and emptiness in my heart.’’ Sonny Bill Williams

where I am today.’’

Williams said Muslims in today’s society can be forced to ‘‘almost be embarrassed’’ of their religion, but he is immensely proud to call himself a Muslim.

A week after the Christchurch mosque attacks in March, which saw 51 people killed, Williams visited the city and met members of the community as an act of solidarity.

Given his profile in New Zealand, he felt it was his duty.

‘‘I am a pretty shy guy but I had to step up, and I knew I had to be vulnerable in that space. I stepped up and represented not just the Muslim community that was hurting, but also the New Zealand community,’’ Williams said.

‘‘I thought that if I could step into that space, a difficult one to navigate through at the time, and just preach the positivity – but also tell them it is real, it hurts but what can we do to move forward in a better way?’’