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Sonny Bill Williams announced as next headline name in dual-code Australian commentary lineup
By Sam Smith
Former All Blacks midfielder Sonny Bill Williams has been confirmed as the next headline name to join Channel Nine's and streaming service Stan Sport's all-star rugby commentary lineup in Australia.
The broadcasters confirmed the highly-speculated acquisition of Williams, who announced his retirement from both rugby union and rugby league earlier this week, on Friday.
The 35-year-old will also be part of the broadcaster's rugby league coverage in addition to his move into full-time professional boxing.
Williams is expected to make his first television appearance since being announced as the newest member of Channel Nine's commentary team on Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven program on Tuesday evening.
Over the course of the season, the 58-test All Blacks and 12-test Kiwis international will bounce between covering both codes, although it is unclear how his role in each sport will be split.
Williams, who won two World Cups and a Super Rugby title in rugby union, will provide opinion and analysis throughout the Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Aotearoa campaigns before remaining onboard for the international season.
“I’m honoured to have this opportunity to join the Stan Sport team,” Williams said. “Before I decided to step into this space I just asked myself that simple question: ‘Is it going to be challenging?’ And the answer was an overwhelming ‘Yes’.
“I know I represent a lot of young Polynesian boys and young Kiwi boys. We represent so much on the field but when it comes to off the field, we’re not really in this space.
“Just being able to jump into that space and see how we go, that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”
The announcement of Williams' acquisition comes a month after former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and Wallabies legend David Campese were confirmed as two of the newest additions to Channel Nine's rugby union coverage.
The pair, and Williams, will join a commentary team littered with notable figures, including Sean Maloney, former Wallabies wing Drew Mitchell, All Blacks great Andrew Mehrtens, and anchors Roz Kelly and Nick McArdle.
Morgan Turinui, Justin Harrison and Andrew Swain are also on board.
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
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Latest Comments
Look there are a few unarguable facts here that are very clear. SARU was close to bankruptcy with SR, bailed out by the Lions and they need the URC and EPCR. Inclusion of SA teams in URC has been a great for for ALL concerned, from a rugby perspective and financially, moreover there is massive growth yet to come. The GP is in financial trouble and this will be the catalyst for EPCR change to further cement the Boks.
If this all plays out with even greater rewards for the urc AND the Top14 & GP via EPCR, the 6N will become 7N. Nz and Aus NEED to get their version firing with Japan & the PI’s, otherwise they will find themselves increasingly regressing…
Go to commentsPerofeta came back and was available for the eoyt right? Or was that why Love was in the squad (but got injured in the last week)?
It was such a frustrating year. Perofeta looked a service stop gap until Jordan was fit, but then got injured. Plummer was selected because of Pero's injury and dmac shat the bed in the second half in Australia but Clarke (?) got himself binned at the 65 min mark so Plummer couldn't come on (at least with the risk adverse Razors thinking) when he was planned to.
So many other exciting opportunities that could have happened without injuries, but then theyre probably balanced by knowing Sititi probably wouldn't have been given a chance without multiple injuries happened.
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