Sydney – Sonny Bill Williams opens the latest chapter in his long career when he returns to Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) on Saturday and he’ll do so with plaudits of former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen ringing in his ears.
The dual code New Zealand international won back-to-back Rugby World Cups under Hansen in 2011 and 2015 and the four-times World Rugby coach of the year said Williams was among the best players he had ever mentored.
“The greatest rugby player I’ve coached was (Richie) McCaw, but Sonny would be the best athlete I’ve coached from a pure athlete sense,” said Hansen.
“He’s a freak of nature … he can do things other people can’t do.”
Sydney Roosters fans will be hoping to see plenty of that when Williams, who played in the backs in union but is a forward in league, runs out against the Canberra Raiders on Saturday in a re-match of last year’s NRL Grand Final.
35-year-old Williams has alternated between union and league throughout his career and sandwiched a championship-winning season with the Roosters between World Cup wins in the 15-man code
