I cannot work out what such a large percentage of New Zealanders have against current All Black, Sonny Bill Williams.

Far as I can see the guy is an absolute paragon of physicality and ultimately, is one hell of a nice guy…

I understand that many consider the proud way he carries himself or the strong North Island dialect with which he articulates himself to be a show of conceit, even arrogance; I understand furthermore that many slow, lazy, overweight, under-inspired, undisciplined, undedicated and indeed slothful Kiwis find Mr Williams’ boundless enthusiasm for maintaining excellence, basically, invidious.

…I truly believe that any New Zealand citizen – and there are many – who takes delight in ragging on Sonny Bill Williams, does so shamefully and, there is no other explanation for it, out of resentment.

Mr Williams was called into Australia’s NRL as a teenager – a feat which not just the typical Kiwi kid can achieve. From there, where most other NRL stars were out drinking to excess, causing controversy and making headlines for reasons that would only bring shame to their parents, Sonny Bill had already abstained from alcohol along with any other kind of drug and, adhering to his rigorous diet to ensure optimum function and body development, from that young age had already proved that he possessed more maturity and basic sense than half the NRL players combined.

The fact that…

To me who remembers Sonny Bill Williams’ entry to the NRL, similar to Benji Marshall, when I was about 30 it felt like he must’ve already been in the competition 20 years and would have been well into his 30s, even though –

…A shade over ten years into his Rugby League career he decided he wanted a change – a challenge – should scarcely be considered anything out of the ordinary; in fact most people are beginning to tire of their career at the ten year stage, so in Mr Williams’ case what does he do?

Well, instead of going off the rails; instead of becoming alcoholic or ruining his life and career in some other way, simply, he switches codes.

Just why that pissed people off the way it did is again beyond me, although I can only assume it relates to my earlier reasoning with that ‘in’ word which some of you will probably want to check on; one can imagine then how his fleeting attempt at establishing a boxing career went down among the austere pit of judgement that is the New Zealand public…

In fairness though Sonny Bill Williams is well over six feet tall so, well, as poppies go, you know.

…So he wasn’t immediately a world class boxer, shit he still showed more balls than most of you pussies would.

I like Sonny Bill Williams. I always have. I always thought he was a genuinely good man and it pissed me off the way everyone seemed to rag on him, saying things like, “Oh, he’s so full of himself, like, the way he does his hair and that…” or, “Who calls themselves ‘Sonny Bill’ anyway?” or, “Oh yeah, he’s got it so easy, look at the way he struts around like he’s all that…” or even, “Oh nah, I can’t stand guys like that, oh yeah, he’s just one of those guys who just has everything fall in their laps”…

Bullshit. That man has worked hard for everything he has and to be everything that he currently is. He is a marvellous role-model for our younger generation and I would sure as hell rather my primary-school-age nephews were emulating Sonny Bill Williams than some of the other fat, lazy, drug-addled celebrities out there.

Lay off him, the man is a god.

Article by Tim Walker

Edited by Watty Mann

Photography by Jella Smuch