Sonny Bill Williams

Māori or Pacific Island heritage needed in All Blacks coaching set-up - SBW

Head coach Steve Hansen will complete his tenure after Friday's bronze medal match against Wales in Japan.

Assistant coach Ian Foster has already expressed his interest in the position, while there are sure to be other high profile candidates.

Asked what positive traits Foster could bring to the role, Williams wouldn't be drawn other than to say he knew there would be a lot of interested applicants.

But the cross-code star, who is of Samoan heritage, did reveal a suggestion for New Zealand Rugby about the next All Blacks coaching group.

Sonny Bill Williams seeks forgiveness over Instagram copyright 'misunderstanding'

Williams had asked the social media company yesterday why they removed a photo of him and teammate Ofa Tu'ungafasi from the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup Test against the Springboks before it was revealed the photographer's byline had been cropped out.

In the picture, Williams and Tu'ungafasi are making dua - a Muslim prayer of faith.

After discovering the copyright issue and finding the picture's original photographer, Malaysia Rugby's Faiz Azizan, Williams asked for forgiveness in a re-uploaded version of the picture that included accreditation.

All Blacks shut down Sonny Bill Williams rumours

On Sunday, midfielder Williams was rumoured to be heading home from Japan with a calf injury, but those rumours were quickly shut down by the All Blacks. 

Former rugby reporter Hamish McKay told Radio Sport Williams would be replaced by Manawatu Turbos midfielder Ngani Laumape. 

But sources told Newshub that Laumape had not received a call from All Blacks management to join the squad.

All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster said Williams was carrying an injury, but the team was doing a good job managing it. 

"Is he going home?" said Foster. "No.

Sonny Bill Williams 'humbled' to be named in NRL team of the decade

Set to be named in the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup squad on Wednesday, Williams has also been included in the National Rugby League's team of the decade.

Williams, who played just two NRL seasons this decade with the Roosters, made the bench in the chosen 17 picked by a panel of 23 'legends'.

He won a premiership with the Roosters in 2013 and stayed with them the following year before returning to the All Blacks for the 2015 World Cup.

"Grateful and humbled to be named by legends of the game in the NRL team of the decade," Williams wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

Samu Kerevi in awe of veteran All Black

Williams made a devastating contribution to New Zealand's 36-0 trouncing of Australia's Bledisloe Cup hopes at Eden Park on Saturday, scoring one try after missing the last two tests.

Kerevi was one of the defenders he minced on his charge for the try line. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will have to pause for thought before he starts crossing out names on New Zealand's World Cup squad list.

Sonny Bill Williams blasts critics saying he's under pressure to make Rugby World Cup

The midfielder rarely uses Twitter to respond to media stories about him, but Williams was clearly fired up, saying those who say he's under pressure need to 'get their priorities right.'

Williams wrote that playing sport for a living can't be compared to those who are struggling to deal with far bigger problems.

"And for those that say I'm under pressure playing a game that I enjoy," Williams wrote. 

"Get your priorities right. Look at what's going on in the world.

Sonny Bill Williams has to stay on park, Steve Hansen says

When asked what he wanted to see from the injury-prone second-five against the Springboks on Saturday night, the All Blacks coach's answer was to the point.

"We want to see him stay on the park," he said. 

"If he comes off it's because he's run out of energy as opposed to injury. We know he can play to a high level so it's his durability at the moment that's been affecting him getting on the park. We just want to see him put some minutes together then assess it from there."

More surgery for SBW

Williams re-injured the troublesome knee, which he also had surgery on last year, late in the Blues victory over South African side the Stormers last month.

The 33-year-old then missed their fourth straight win, against the Waratahs last weekend, before the Blues on Thursday confirmed he would undergo minor arthroscopic surgery on Friday.

Blues coaches backing SBW trip

The Muslim All Blacks midfielder's trip south means he will miss the Auckland-based franchise's Super Rugby match against the Highlanders at Eden Park on Friday night.

Assistant coach Tom Coventry said the coaches thought it would be a good idea, even before Williams made the request.

"We were going to ask Sonny if he'd like to make the decision to go.

"We were all in agreeance, it was a pretty short conversation.

"We all knew how hard he took it, so it was a simple decision to make."

Williams to miss Blues game to provide support in Christchurch

A proud Muslim, Williams posted to social media on Sunday night saying he would be in Christchurch "later in the week to show love and give donations to the Christchurch Masjids for the people effected in this tragedy".

The Blues confirmed the 51-test midfielder would not play against the Highlanders at Eden Park.
The match would count as one of the two Super Rugby fixtures he must miss as an All Blacks player ahead of this year's World Cup.

Williams' confirmation of his trip to Christchurch followed an emotional video he posted on Friday after the terror attacks.