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All Blacks career over? Sonny Bill Williams linked to shock coaching switch
By Online Editors
All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams is being lined up for a rugby league coaching job, according to reports.
The 34-year-old is yet to confirm his playing future after the current Rugby World Cup with his New Zealand Rugby contract set to end after the pinnacle event.
With Williams' future a topic of hot debate, Nine reporter and Sydney Morning Herald columnist Danny Weidler has tipped the code-hopping star as lining up a coaching job at the NRL's Sydney Roosters.
According to Weidler, SBW's advisor Khoder Nasser was spotted at a Sydney cafe with Roosters chairman Nick Politis.
Weidler claimed that Williams is being sounded in a coaching capacity, not as a player, with the roster of the back-to-back champions already boasting several top players who play in Williams' potential positions.
The role is said to involve work with the Roosters' younger players in developing club culture.
Williams will likely have plenty of offers to choose from though, with Canadian outfit Toronto Wolfpack also keen to recruit him.
Wolfpack head coach Brian McDermott said Toronto wanted to bring in a "David Beckham-type player" and that Williams fit the bill.
"Our club would want to have a name that's absolutely international that everybody would recognise and help the profile of our game, very much like David Beckham did for Major League Soccer," McDermott added.
"But he would have to be a very good player as well, he's got to be able to do the job that I want him to do. There would be no token player or just a headline-grabbing player."
Williams enjoys legendary status in league and union and could be persuaded to return to the 13-man code, according to McDermott.
"His people have had conversations with our people and the answer wasn't no - he hasn't just shut it off.
"I'm not saying he's coming or is going to come, but the fact of the matter is he has responded and the answer wasn't no."
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
Go to commentsWhatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.
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