SBWneeds to bring star quality
This isn’t a referendum on Sonny Bill Williams the rugby player. The votes are in on that. He’s very good, with last year’s All Blacks performances surely sufficient evidence of that.
But that’s international rugby, where Williams is simply required to do his own job, safe in the knowledge his team-mates and the coaching staff will do their’s. The second fiveeighth’s responsibilities at the Blues extend well beyond that.
Quick fixes are a specialty at the Blues. It’s why they opt for star players – such as John Kirwan and Tana Umaga – to coach, rather than others with proven track records in that field.
They want a messiah, a talisman, a magnetic and charismatic figure to take a group of talented individuals and transform them into a team. They want – in Williams’ case – what Nick Politis and the Sydney Roosters got.
Politis has run and bankrolled the NRL club since the 1970s and famously struck a handshake deal with Williams that – when his five-year ban from rugby league was over – he would join the Roosters.
Williams arrived, in 2013, and taught the team how to eat, how to train. He didn’t drink, so neither did they. If he stretched, they stretched. He was the ultimate professional and guided the Roosters to their first NRL title in 11 years. And then he left.
The Roosters have been plagued by off-field problems ever since. They haven’t won anything either.
It’s 2003 since the Blues were last Super Rugby champions. Also-rans in most of the seasons since, Williams didn’t suddenly change that in 2017.
There was an Achilles tendon problem to overcome, then the unnecessary jersey-logo stunt. Williams’ transformative powers appeared to be on the wane.
He’ll at least start this season in one piece. He needs to be. The enormity of the task at the Blues seems as big as ever.
Williams doesn’t just have to play well, he has to be perfect off the park too. He’s the man all the players will take their cues from; his every word and action taken as gospel.
It’s a lot for one man – one player – to have to take on.
At the Roosters, men such as Politis, head coach Trent Robinson, assistant Jason Taylor, captain Anthony Minichiello and chief operating officer Brian Canavan were able and accomplished operators. Leaders are a lot thinner on the ground at the Blues. Beyond big Sonny.
He’s going to have his hands full.