Sonny Bill Williams News + Progress in ITM Cup

[Muzzy]

Edit; just watched the highlights again, in another instance he turns to chase a kicked ball and outpaces speed merchant David Smith to the extent that Smith gives up the race and concedes possession. Hes definitely fast enough to play wing.

just watched that as well, he showed great pace when he went back for that first kick, the second kick he had the angle and was ahead of smith to begin with anyway. but yeah he showed me wrong coz i assumed he was slow too coz i've never seen him run fast in league or top 14

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm sure SBW played some 13 at Toulon, early on

 

[Muzzy]

I'm sure SBW played some 13 at Toulon, early on

he did, he also played 13 for the Barbarians where he got his ass smashed by Mortlock, he's improved so much with Canterbury. he looks way bigger now then he did back then too ****

 

[Dizzy]

It takes a long time to get that out of somebodys system when it's instinct though. Vinakolo & Hape are both still a real pain in the arse for it, 4 years after switching codes and even Chris Ashton still occasionally does it despite he comes from a cross-code background. The only player (supprisingly) who wasn't too bad after switching in recent times was Andy Farrell.

SBW is an instinct player as opposed to a thinker, so it'll be bloody hard for him to stop leading with the shoulder or the forearm in contact. In Test rugby especially.

Tana Umaga also came from league and went to union and his tackling was top of the class. He was a junior new zealand Kiwi before he made the Hurricanes squad

 

[Shaggy]

I just heard on Radio sport that SBW has been dropped to the bench for the Canterbury V Wellington match as Ryan Crotty is returning from injury, also Colin Slade is in for Stephen Brett ... Canterbury's free ticket gesture is a nice one considering the damage done by the earthquake

 

[Darwin]

I just heard on Radio sport that SBW has been dropped to the bench for the Canterbury V Wellington match as Ryan Crotty is returning from injury, also Colin Slade is in for Stephen Brett ... Canterbury's free ticket gesture is a nice one considering the damage done by the earthquake

Confirmed here (http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/sonny-bill-dropped-canterbury-bench-3797369). Not the end of the world for SBW, as I imagine he will get a good 20-30 mins from the bench.

 

[Sam Owen]

I have to admit its good to see Ryan Crotty back though. He's been with the Cantab's longer than Sonny and is a good young player.

 

[Muzzy]

SBW had an average game, scored a good try but also made a few mistakes and didn't do much else

 

[Ninja]

SBW had an average game, scored a good try but also made a few mistakes and didn't do much else

I thought he had a pretty solid game for the time he was on. Only mistake that I recall was when he knocked it on from the Colin Slade pass (there was another knock on but that was from a shocking pass to his feet). I thought he seemed a bit more involved this week as he took the ball in for around 5 good hit ups after he got fired up from nearly getting into a scrap with one of the Welly boys...

 

[smartcooky]

SBW had an average game, scored a good try but also made a few mistakes and didn't do much else

IMO, you're being a bit stingy with your praise.

Firstly, his try wasn't just a good try, it was excellent, and to me, it showed some of the skills that will make him a very good RU player. At the beginning of the movement, he ran with the ball in one hand, then as he was about to be tackled, he drew the ball up to his chest to protect it from being bumped out in the tackle. Then when he had the tackler beaten, it was back into one hand again, allowing him to stretch out and score. It was a classy bit of skill on is part.

Secondly, one of the things that really impresses me about SBW is his passing. His passes are long, flat and accurate, and he appears to be able to pass equally well in both directions. Seemingly every pass arrives at the receiver in near perfect position, chest-high and half a metre in front. I have yet to see him throw a bad pass.

On the down side, he does not have a real kicking option. I'd like to see someone like Foxy to get alongside him and teach him how to kick. He is skilled enough and coordinated enough to be able to learn.

All in all, I think he is well on the way to showing that he will be good enough to go on the EOYT.

 

[Shaggy]

IMO, you're being a bit stingy with your praise.

Firstly, his try wasn't just a good try, it was excellent, and to me, it showed some of the skills that will make him a very good RU player. At the beginning of the movement, he ran with the ball in one hand, then as he was about to be tackled, he drew the ball up to his chest to protect it from being bumped out in the tackle. Then when he had the tackler beaten, it was back into one hand again, allowing him to stretch out and score. It was a classy bit of skill on is part.

Secondly, one of the things that really impresses me about SBW is his passing. His passes are long, flat and accurate, and he appears to be able to pass equally well in both directions. Seemingly every pass arrives at the receiver in near perfect position, chest-high and half a metre in front. I have yet to see him throw a bad pass.

On the down side, he does not have a real kicking option. I'd like to see someone like Foxy to get alongside him and teach him how to kick. He is skilled enough and coordinated enough to be able to learn.

All in all, I think he is well on the way to showing that he will be good enough to go on the EOYT.

Or Carter perhaps ... Aaron Maugher could also be an option to help teach from the 2nd five eigth position, as he's now back in the Canterbury rugby setup

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Does anyone know when the squad gets announced for the tour?
Only a month and a week (or so) until the England game and less than that until the Bledisloe in Hong Kong

 

[Darwin]

Does anyone know when the squad gets announced for the tour?
Only a month and a week (or so) until the England game and less than that until the Bledisloe in Hong Kong

October 17 (http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...nship/4130791/All-Blacks-stars-in-cotton-wool) - still three weeks away.

 

[Ninja]

IMO, you're being a bit stingy with your praise.

Firstly, his try wasn't just a good try, it was excellent, and to me, it showed some of the skills that will make him a very good RU player. At the beginning of the movement, he ran with the ball in one hand, then as he was about to be tackled, he drew the ball up to his chest to protect it from being bumped out in the tackle. Then when he had the tackler beaten, it was back into one hand again, allowing him to stretch out and score. It was a classy bit of skill on is part.

Secondly, one of the things that really impresses me about SBW is his passing. His passes are long, flat and accurate, and he appears to be able to pass equally well in both directions. Seemingly every pass arrives at the receiver in near perfect position, chest-high and half a metre in front. I have yet to see him throw a bad pass.

On the down side, he does not have a real kicking option. I'd like to see someone like Foxy to get alongside him and teach him how to kick. He is skilled enough and coordinated enough to be able to learn.

All in all, I think he is well on the way to showing that he will be good enough to go on the EOYT.

I guess you missed his debut game for Canterbury against Bay Of Plenty as his first pass he did went straight to the ground...

According to a TV1 news article I saw from another thread, Aaron Mauger is helping SBW and Fruen with their kicking game...

 

[smartcooky]

Or Carter perhaps ... Aaron Maugher could also be an option to help teach from the 2nd five eigth position, as he's now back in the Canterbury rugby setup

Yep, Mauger would be good, but not Carter. I wouldn't saddle a current player with that responsibility as they have their own game to concentrate on.

I guess you missed his debut game for Canterbury against Bay Of Plenty as his first pass he did went straight to the ground...

Unless I am thinking of a different incident, I thought that was an offload not a pass. However, I do recall early in the second half, SBW firing one of his long passes to Whitelock who passed to Todd who then scored in the corner.

According to a TV1 news article I saw from another thread, Aaron Mauger is helping SBW and Fruen with their kicking game...

Wasn't aware of that.

 

[Dizzy]

Alot of Sonny Bill haters on this site man

 

[durbutter]

Skeptics is a better word.

 

[Iron Mike]

Sonny who?

 

[Sam Owen]

Him and Sonny are a good combo, they're actually good buddies from what Ive heard.

 

[Ninja]

I so hope they try out the SBW and Fruen combo in the EOTY Tour... The biggest midfield in world rugby destroying the NH teams

I was saying to my mates that I hope Nonu and Smith get injured so SBW and Fruen can be the new AB's midfield combo... Alot of people are going to hate me for saying that, but I think that's the only way they will be able to start together, since the Smith and Nonu combo is well established now, it will be hard to topple them from their perch...