Sonny Bill Williams was a versatile athlete, who excelled in rugby union, football and boxing.
He is one of the few players to have won the Rugby World Cup twice and holds several boxing titles.
He was known for his athleticism, deft shooting ability, and generous demeanor with fans and opponents.
File
- Full Name: Sonny Bill Williams
- Date of birth: August 3, 1985
- Age: 39 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Auckland, New Zealand
- Nationality: New Zealander
- Occupation: Former rugby union and rugby player, boxer
- Height: 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
- Parents: Ioane (“John”) Williams and Lee Woolsey
- Siblings: John Arthur, Niall and Denise
- Spouse: Alana Raffie
- Children: Imaan Bill, Aisha Bill Zaid Bill, Essa Bill
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $15 million
Early life and education
Sonny Bill Williams was born on 3 August 1985 in Auckland, New Zealand and is currently 39 years old as of 2024.
He is the son of Ioane (“John”) Williams, of Samoan descent, and Lee Woolsey, of New Zealand and Australian descent.
He has an older brother, John Arthur, and twin sisters, Niall and Denise.
He grew up in a low-income area of Auckland, where he faced racism and violence. He attended Owairaka School, Wesley Intermediate School and Mount Albert Grammar School.
He played rugby union and rugby union as a child and was recruited by the Canterbury Bulldogs when he was 15. He moved to Sydney, Australia to join the Bulldogs in 2002.
Personal life
Sonny Bill Williams married Alana Raffie, a former model and dancer, in 2013. They have four children: Imaan, Aisha, Zaid and Essa.
Williams converted to Islam in 2009 after being influenced by Muslim friends and teammates.
He has been outspoken about his religion and is involved in many charitable and humanitarian causes, such as supporting refugees, victims of war and the Christchurch mosque shootings.
He has also been involved in a number of controversial incidents, such as having an affair with Candice Warner, refusing to wear shirts with sponsor logos, and abruptly ending his rugby contract.
Career
Sonny Bill Williams began his professional rugby career with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2004 and quickly became one of the best players in the NRL.
He won the 2004 NRL Premiership, the 2004 Dally M Rookie of the Year and the 2007 Dally M Lockdown Player of the Year.
He has represented New Zealand in 12 international matches, winning the 2008 World Cup and the 2013 Four Nations.
He has also been boxing professionally since 2009, winning 10 out of 10. He was the NZPBA and WBA International Heavyweight Champion but was stripped of these titles after failing to respond to challenges.
In 2008, he shocked the rugby world when he terminated his contract with the Bulldogs and joined Toulon in France without permission.
He switched to rugby union and played for various clubs in France, Japan and New Zealand. He also played 58 times for the All Blacks, winning the 2011 and 2015 World Cups and the 2017 Rugby Championship.
He became the first player to win both the NRL and the Rugby World Cup. He also played rugby sevens for New Zealand, participating in the 2016 Olympics.
After a brief stint with the Toronto Wolfpack, he retired from both teams in 2021, a career that ended in financial hardship.
Prize
Some of the awards that Sonny Bill Williams has won throughout his career are:
- 2004 National Rugby League (NRL) Championship.
- Dally M. Rookie of the Year 2004
- Dally M Class of 2007.
- 2008 Rugby World Cup.
- Rugby World Cup 2011.
- Super Rugby 2012.
- Four countries in 2013.
- Rugby World Cup 2015.
- Rugby Championship 2017.
- NZPBA Heavyweight Champion.
- WBA International Heavyweight Champion.
Net worth
Sonny Bill Williams has an estimated net worth of $15 million. He earned his fortune from his football and boxing careers, endorsement deals, and sponsorships.
He is one of the highest paid rugby players in the world, earning up to NZ$10 million per season.
Argumentative
Sonny Bill Williams has been involved in a number of controversial incidents throughout his career, such as:
- Cancelled his contract with the Bulldogs in 2008 and joined Toulon in France without permission.
- Banned for four weeks for shoulder-slamming South African player Bryan Habana in 2010.
- Alleged affair with Australian model and socialite Candice Warner in 2007, leading to public fallout with her husband, cricketer David Warner.
- Refused to wear a shirt with the logo of the Bank of New Zealand, Blues sponsor, in 2017, citing his Muslim faith and objection to banks charging interest.
- Criticized for poor performance and high salary at Toronto Wolfpack in 2020 before leaving the club amid financial difficulties.
Social media
- Instagram: @sonnybillwilliams
- Twitter: @SonnyBWilliams
