Sonny Bill Williams weighs up three offers to continue career
Sonny Bill Williams is weighing up a $10 million offer to play rugby league in North America to cap an his amazing sporting career. Read what options are on the table for SBW.
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Sonny Bill Williams will make a decision next week on a $10 million offer as he wrestles with the final stages of his sporting career.
Williams, 34, is expected to call time on his union career after the Rugby World Cup, which will end in disappointing fashion for New Zealand on Friday with a third-place playoff against Wales.
The All Blacks superstar has ruled out an NRL return, and is tossing up between opportunities in rugby union, rugby league and boxing.
There is a massive two-year deal worth $10 million on the table to become the marquee player for the Toronto Wolfpack after the Canadian rugby league club was recently promoted into the English Super League for the first time.
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There are also $5 million offers to play rugby union in Europe, while The Daily Telegraph understands his manager, Khoder Nasser, is also looking opportunities in boxing and a potential super fight with recently retired Cronulla Sharks star Paul Gallen.
NRL clubs can’t match the financial firepower of the cashed-up Toronto franchise and rich European rugby clubs, meaning his rugby league career in Australia is over.
Gallen, 38, is due to fight former AFL hard man Barry Hall at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on November 15, having brought down his NRL career in September.
The Wolfpack earned promotion to England’s Super League this month, and are chasing a big-name player to carry the franchise.
Bankrolled by Australian mining-magnate owner David Argyle, the Wolfpack are desperate to make a statement in the top tier of rugby league, having battled their way up from England’s lower leagues.
“He is rugby’s LeBron James and we see his recruitment as bigger than when David Beckham joined LA Galaxy,” Argyle told Fox Sports in February.
While based in Canada, the ocean-hopping Wolfpack compete in England and Argyle’s ambition is to give them a global profile.
Williams was non-committal this week when asked about his future in the wake of New Zealand’s World Cup semi-final mauling at the hands of England.
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“Soon bro, soon, we’re just trying to finalise that,” he told reporters. Williams has won two World Cups in his 57-Tests with the All Blacks, as well as numerous Bledisloe Cups and Rugby Championships.
Other honours include a Super Rugby title and two NRL premierships. He also triumphed in all seven of his professional heavyweight boxing bouts, winning the New Zealand title in 2012.
Williams suffered a string of injuries this year and hinted it could be his last season playing rugby union in New Zealand.
– with wires
Originally published as Sonny Bill Williams weighs up three offers to continue career
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