Sonny Bill

[sudrugby]

I'm sorry but this post says nothing but 'hater'.

1. General behaviour?!?! Like what?? Training hard? Playing rugby and boxing at the same time cos he can? What is 'general behaviour'? If you don't like what he did at the Bulldogs then so be it....but general behaviour?!?

2.ARe there any other professional rugby players who don't impress you? Or it's just SBW? Do they bring out as much hatred in you as SBW by their non-impressiveness?

3. No-one gets 'there' originally (where ever 'there' is) by their union achievements. Mostly, they get picked and selected for higher duties (I'm assuming that's what 'there' is) for their abilities, skills and even potential. SBW has all of that in spades. No-one in NZ really put their hand up and deserved to go the RWC more than SBW. Hell, you could argue that there were plenty of players at the 2011 RWC who were there thanks to their union achievements and really shouldn't have been. John Smit anyone?

4. How is SBW to blame for other players trying to off-load the ball and losing it? That's like blaming Johnny Wilkinson or Morne Steyn for other goal kickers who miss their penalty kicks.

Hate his agent if you want (who seems to be doing a fantastic job for SBW), hate how he walked out on the Doggies if that helps you justify it but the truth is this - SBW is a very, very good rugby player, a great athlete and any Top 14 team would take him in a heart-beat if they had even a whiff of a chance to get him.

You can try to argument everything it won't change my mind.
Consider me as a stupid hater if you want, I'll be more than happy to see him leaving rugby union.

 

[Bullrush]

You can try to argument everything it won't change my mind.
Consider me as a stupid hater if you want, I'll be more than happy to see him leaving rugby union.

I never thought I would change your mind. For many haters (I never called you stupid) it's usually about their own insecurities. That's why they are unable to really articulate the reasons for their hate.

 

[sudrugby]

I never thought I would change your mind. For many haters (I never called you stupid) it's usually about their own insecurities. That's why they are unable to really articulate the reasons for their hate.

I simply think he is overated! He don't deserve that much focus.
I'm fed up seing him making the headlines everytime he's opening the mouth or changing his shirt.
We know he will make auctions to get the better paycheck without any respect for the team, the franchise and even the sport he is practising. And it is becoming boring.

 

[Bullrush]

I simply think he is overated! He don't deserve that much focus.
I'm fed up seing him making the headlines everytime he's opening the mouth or changing his shirt.
We know he will make auctions to get the better paycheck without any respect for the team, the franchise and even the sport he is practising. And it is becoming boring.

It seems that most of the guys who play with or coach SBW have nothing but high praise for not only his work ethic and diligence on the training field but his willingness and availability to do the community work, autograph signing, sponsorship commitments etc as well. Todd Blackadder actually said something like 'He's an outstanding role model for any young person out there wanting to play rugby'.

It seems that it's only a few fans who have this perception of SBW having no respect for his team, franchise or sport. Isn't it funny that despite all that lack of respect, teams from both codes have previously, currently are or would like to secure his signature.

Maybe he is over-rated but he's pulling the wool over a lot of very good players and coaches eyes if that's true.

 

[todd4]

I never thought I would change your mind. For many haters (I never called you stupid) it's usually about their own insecurities. That's why they are unable to really articulate the reasons for their hate.

I don't think that sudrugby's original post was particularly hateful, he expressed his opinion that he was not very impressed with SBW and he is entitled to his opinion.

I think your personal attack on sudrugby is over the top.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

SBW is a puzzle.
He broke a contact with the bulldogs.
He was unsigned beyond RWC for RWC which I thought was pretty opportunistic.
On the surface these 2 things appear pretty selfish.

 

[Bullrush]

I don't think that sudrugby's original post was particularly hateful, he expressed his opinion that he was not very impressed with SBW and he is entitled to his opinion.

I think your personal attack on sudrugby is over the top.

Original post:

As League is not showed in France I'm pretty happy to see him moving back to NRL.
I won't be forced to see his face again. I really can't stand the guy.
And not seeing him back in Top 14 is also a huge satisfaction.

Ummmmmm.....not particularly hateful?!?

SBW is a puzzle.
He broke a contact with the bulldogs.
He was unsigned beyond RWC for RWC which I thought was pretty opportunistic.
On the surface these 2 things appear pretty selfish.

Why was being unsigned past the RWC selfish???

 

[Karl]

These guys are now part of a Professional Sport. They have a VERY limited career span, unless they are one of those lucky blokes like Wilkinson who seem to be able to play at the top level for a long time. To expect them to have all of this altruistic intent and put a Club above their own life and responsibilities to the extent that they cause themselves substantial financial losses is just ridiculous. Selfish? Then so is every one of us who ever left a job with one employer to take a better job somewhere else. Pot, meet Kettle.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Because he was uncommitted to the team and was waiting to see what came up for him

 

[Karl]

He was as committed as hell to the team in relation to the achievement of a specified goal. The goal was achieved and he is now evaluating his options. If you don't re-evaluate your goals and set new ones in your life, you're going to blow around like a ship without a rudder. I don't see any issues here that imply any character flaws at all. No point being resentful because he happens to have enough talent to have more than one option. Life is pretty simple when you're a one trick pony who's just grateful to be in the show.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

These guys are now part of a Professional Sport. They have a VERY limited career span, unless they are one of those lucky blokes like Wilkinson who seem to be able to play at the top level for a long time. To expect them to have all of this altruistic intent and put a Club above their own life and responsibilities to the extent that they cause themselves substantial financial losses is just ridiculous. Selfish? Then so is every one of us who ever left a job with one employer to take a better job somewhere else. Pot, meet Kettle.

Don't know about your job but I don't actually expect anyone to risk serious injury in my job for the good of the company. I dont run such risks for the company or my workmates.
Comparisons between real jobs and sport seldom work.
in a pro teamsport everyone, particularly the fringe dwellers as SBW is in the Abs, should be there for the team.
By better job you can only mean better paying job - that creates an issue in a true team sport because it is nakedly putting the individual above the team: pretty soon the individual doesn't make the tackle because it might deflate his value if he gets injured.

 

[Swat]

I think for me it isn't anything to do with him as a player, he doesn't appear overly cocky or a loud mouth, is relatively well behaved. What it is for me is loyalty, constantly chasing the money rather than trying to actually reach his potential in any of his 3 sports appears to be selfish, he appears to be a person who on the surface is a good bloke but how many times has he upped and left for more money? I think more than anything it is him being two-faced, pretending to be playing for others but always playing for himself that pisses a lot of people off... and he's a kiwi

 

[Karl]

Don't know about your job but I don't actually expect anyone to risk serious injury in my job for the good of the company. I dont run such risks for the company or my workmates.
Comparisons between real jobs and sport seldom work.
in a pro teamsport everyone, particularly the fringe dwellers as SBW is in the Abs, should be there for the team.
By better job you can only mean better paying job - that creates an issue in a true team sport because it is nakedly putting the individual above the team: pretty soon the individual doesn't make the tackle because it might deflate his value if he gets injured.

Missing tackles isn't real good for a players value either. That argument doesn't even make sense. A player who signs on for a period of time (and they all have fixed term contracts as much to protect the club as them) should be expected to put in his all during the term of the contract. That is all. What greater committment do you think it's reasonable to expect? If the Club doesn't think a 12 month contract is good enough, then they are free to decline to sign it. You can pull terams together quite well for a year, a season or a month - it doesn't require some open ended committment in order to be able to forge an effective team. And as you have correctly pointed out - the committment, regardless of the Term, is pretty substantial.

And a better job can also be one with better prospects of advancement, better conditions, a better location etc etc. All of those things can apply to a Rugby contract.

 

[Godfrey]

To me it just seems like bandwagon jumping mixed with a bit of tall poppy syndrome. Why does SBW owe any particular debt to a club or even sport? He's an athlete who wants to challenge himself (and get his moneys worth..but surely everyone does that?). I don't see any moral or ethical reason why he can't try and do well in 3 difference sports and get paid for it. Don't forget he took a paycut to reach his goal of playing for the All Blacks and in the WC.

 

[Swat]

If he was serious about playing for the All Blacks as an honour and not another notch in his belt he would have gone straight to ITM cup and not to france....

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Missing tackles isn't real good for a players value either. That argument doesn't even make sense. A player who signs on for a period of time (and they all have fixed term contracts as much to protect the club as them) should be expected to put in his all during the term of the contract. That is all. What greater committment do you think it's reasonable to expect? If the Club doesn't think a 12 month contract is good enough, then they are free to decline to sign it. You can pull terams together quite well for a year, a season or a month - it doesn't require some open ended committment in order to be able to forge an effective team. And as you have correctly pointed out - the committment, regardless of the Term, is pretty substantial.

And a better job can also be one with better prospects of advancement, better conditions, a better location etc etc. All of those things can apply to a Rugby contract.

There's no issue he can do whatever he likes.
I just wouldn't be signing or picking him because he doesn't fit my bill as a team player.
Lucky for him our paths won't cross.

 

[Sully]

All New Zealand players were supposed to be signed to NZ clubs before being named in the RWC squad. SBW said he would sign but after the announcement stated he would sign till after the RWC.


Sent using Tapatalk on a very old phone

 

[wamberal]

Rugby is now a professional sport. Every professional player has the right to do whatever he damned well likes, and can get away with.

 

[Swat]

Rugby is now a professional sport. Every professional player has the right to do whatever he damned well likes, and can get away with.

No sh*t sherlock, and we have the right to hate them for doing so...

 

[wamberal]

No sh*t sherlock, and we have the right to hate them for doing so...

Boring the rest of us to tears in the process.