Sonny William 'Sonny Bill' Williams (born 3 August 1985) is a New Zealand rugby player and heavyweight boxer who has played both rugby union and rugby league. He currently plays rugby league for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL). He is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league.
He is particularly known in both codes for his ability to offload the ball in the tackle and, formerly in rugby league, for his shoulder charges. Williams made his professional rugby league debut for the Canterbury Bulldogs during the 2004 NRL season. In 2008 he controversially left the Bulldogs mid-season to play rugby union with French club Toulon. In 2010 Williams signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union in an ultimately successful bid to play for the All Blacks at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
He played provincially for Canterbury in the 2010 ITM Cup, before being selected for the All Blacks' 2010 end of year tour. He made his Test debut against England. In Super Rugby he played for the Crusaders in 2011 and the Chiefs in 2012. Following that, he played briefly for Panasonic in the Japanese Top League before returning to rugby league after signing with the Sydney Roosters for the 2013 NRL season.
Since 2009 he has boxed professionally six times, winning all six of his heavyweight bouts. He is the current New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) Heavyweight Champion, and the current World Boxing Association (WBA) International Heavyweight Champion. He is ranked by boxing website BoxRec as the number two heavyweight in New Zealand and 100th in the world.
Williams was a Marist Saints junior when he was spotted playing in Auckland by Bulldogs talent scout John Ackland. In 2002 he was offered a contract and moved to Sydney (as the youngest player to ever sign with the Bulldogs) to play in the Bulldogs junior grades. While training professionally he also worked full-time as a labourer. He advanced up the ranks quickly, becoming a starting player in the forward pack for the Bulldogs Jersey Flegg Cup side in his first year.
He is particularly known in both codes for his ability to offload the ball in the tackle and, formerly in rugby league, for his shoulder charges. Williams made his professional rugby league debut for the Canterbury Bulldogs during the 2004 NRL season. In 2008 he controversially left the Bulldogs mid-season to play rugby union with French club Toulon. In 2010 Williams signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union in an ultimately successful bid to play for the All Blacks at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
He played provincially for Canterbury in the 2010 ITM Cup, before being selected for the All Blacks' 2010 end of year tour. He made his Test debut against England. In Super Rugby he played for the Crusaders in 2011 and the Chiefs in 2012. Following that, he played briefly for Panasonic in the Japanese Top League before returning to rugby league after signing with the Sydney Roosters for the 2013 NRL season.
Since 2009 he has boxed professionally six times, winning all six of his heavyweight bouts. He is the current New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) Heavyweight Champion, and the current World Boxing Association (WBA) International Heavyweight Champion. He is ranked by boxing website BoxRec as the number two heavyweight in New Zealand and 100th in the world.
Williams was a Marist Saints junior when he was spotted playing in Auckland by Bulldogs talent scout John Ackland. In 2002 he was offered a contract and moved to Sydney (as the youngest player to ever sign with the Bulldogs) to play in the Bulldogs junior grades. While training professionally he also worked full-time as a labourer. He advanced up the ranks quickly, becoming a starting player in the forward pack for the Bulldogs Jersey Flegg Cup side in his first year.
Article source: Wikipedia
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