Would The NZRL Have Selected Sonny Bill Williams In The ANZAC Test?
Reports suggest that Sonny Bill Williams will “boycott” the New Zealand team team if they select him in the ANZAC Test against Australia.
Williams is apparently unhappy at being named in a report about the alleged abuse of prescription drugs in the New Zealand camp during the 2013 World Cup campaign. The official report found there was nothing out of the ordinary going on, but by that point Sonny Bill Williams and Kieran Foran had been named in the press.
I can understand why someone would be angry about that. Especially if they were completely innocent.
Fast forward to now and with the New Zealand team about to be select Sonny Bill Williams apparently wants nothing to do with them.
I question whether Sonny Bill Williams is in good enough form to be selected by New Zealand right now.
Keep in mind his last game for New Zealand was a complete disaster. He was nothing short of a liability to New Zealand in their World Cup Final loss to Australia last year.
This year Sonny Bill Williams form has been very ordinary. Sure you hold a player of his caliber to a higher standard, but that is what you do for every other player that might be selected in the New Zealand side too.
For the Sydney Roosters, Williams has looked way off his form that he was in even early last year. On Twitter I commented last weekend that he should have done the Roosters a favour and let them now he intended to take 2014 off. Tongue in cheek, but still, that is the type of form Williams has shown this year.
I have to say he isn’t one of the players I would have thought about in terms of New Zealand’s ANZAC Test side.
In my opinion New Zealand needs to look to the future in this upcoming test match. They need to look at selecting players they want to see form the base of their next World Cup squad.
The likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at fullback, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak on the wing, Elijah Taylor in the back row…the next generation of New Zealand players that the Kiwi’s can build around for the future.
Sure they might lose the ANZAC Test going down that road, but they will be better in the long run for it. Especially when you consider that the core of the Australian team right now probably won’t be around for the next World Cup in 2017.
So when you take into account Sonny Bill Williams form right now, and the fact he won’t be around for the 2017 World Cup himself, why would the Kiwi’s select him in the ANZAC Test?
Hopefully Sonny Bill Williams form lifts as the season goes on. The Roosters really need him to fire if they are going to defend their title. At this stage though, I don’t think the NZRL would have selected Sonny Bill Williams anyway if they are being smart about how their select their ANZAC Test side.
Sonny Bill Williams boycott of the Kiwi’s might be a boycott in name only.
- ANZAC Test, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Elijah Taylor, Kieran Foran, New Zealand, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Sonny Bill Williams, World Cup
League Freak
A well known Rugby League writer, League Freak has established a reputation among supporters of the game for his fearless commentary and unmatched insight. With a reach that spans both sides of the globe, League Freak has produced an independent network that allows him to distribute content to his many thousands of followers. He is the owner and main author of LeagueFreak.com
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2 thoughts on “Would The NZRL Have Selected Sonny Bill Williams In The ANZAC Test?”
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Cmon bro the comment concerning the no show of SBW in the World Cup Final is totally wrong. Kearney needed the sack after failing to take the pressure off Johnson. I mean Sheens specifically targeted Johnson everytime he got the ball and it shut the whole team down not just SBW. Now that’s what lost us that cup because instead of shifting the ball 2 foran or SBW at 1st 5 he kept on going 2 Johnson Now that’s the Coach!!plain and square and I’m gobsmacked Kearney didn’t get the sack 4 failing 2 analyse it. I mean he cant even command a 1st grade team but is still Kiwi Coach? please. Now whether SBW wanted to play or not hell he’s still 1st pick in any team I mean u just don’t leave the World’s best player out when u no he always delivers on the big stage its just pathetic bro Kiwis wanna lose 50+
A few points,
1. There is no way in the world Sonny Bill Williams is the best player in the world. He isn’t even close.
2. For most of the 2013 NRL Grand Final and all of the 2013 World Cup final, Williams was the worst player on the field by a long, long way
3. The Kiwis performance in the 2014 Trans-Tasman test showed that Kearney made the right decision not to select certain players who kept letting NZ down when it really mattered.