KB opinions on SBW?

[Blackbird]

Nobody's bigger than the team, and he should have been told "sorry, would love to have taken you but too late, you missed out". To me, he's like Kevin Pietersen, I'd rather see the team lose without him, than win with him.

Quite agree, but that's the fault of the administrators, not SBW.

[MisterD]

Quite agree, but that's the fault of the administrators, not SBW.

He behaves like a spoilt child (probably because he is one) and the "parents" indulge him. The fault is shared IMO.

[BoristheBiter]

Sonny Bill only ever thinks about.......Sonny bill.

And so he should as the NZRFU, or the like, don't give a shit, just take a look at Jonah.
That's how they treat stars here.

[Bikemad]

i have a new found respect for Lonegan now...............calling SBW a girl............love it
i doubt SBW will take the fight............he is an awesome athlete..........bit thick in my opinion but even he knows when to opt out of a hiding

[wysper]

Nobody's bigger than the team, and he should have been told "sorry, would love to have taken you but too late, you missed out". To me, he's like Kevin Pietersen, I'd rather see the team lose without him, than win with him.

I believe in NZ they are. Look at how DC and Richie have been treated differently in the AB's which has ushered in a change of how players are managed.

The prima donna black caps of a few years ago that held the team to ransom and we are still suffering with excessive player power in that mess too.

In a NZ team it seems if you are good enough you can do what you like. No consequences.

[Banditbandit]

SBW is a stunning athlete with stunning physical skills and unbeleivable spacial awareness. Spatial Awareness is one of the five intelligences, and SBW has it in spades - maybe one of the highest in that area.

Is he a shit boxer? He's never been really tested so who knows - I'd love to see him fight Parker - I think if Parker hits him SBW will lose. But he is very quick and with great spatial awareness, if he can stay out of trouble he may well win on points. I doubt he could knock out Parker. Remember when Mohammed Ali had no chance against George Foreman ? Biggest hitter in world boxing and Ali won ...

Should he be in the league team?

I think he said "I'm not available" and he should not have been allowed to change his mind ... on the other hand do we want to win the Rugby League World Cup again? Hell Yes - and we have a better chance with SBW in the team .. take your pick on this one ...

[awa355]

i have a new found respect for Lonegan now...............calling SBW a girl............love it
i doubt SBW will take the fight............he is an awesome athlete..........bit thick in my opinion but even he knows when to opt out of a hiding

Just been reading about the proposed fight between Money Bill somebodyorother and this new wizz kid Parker. Apparently there are two NZ heavyweight belts. Parker wants both.

How the fuck can there be TWO such belts? NZ only has about 3 boxers!!

[oldrider]

SBW has amazing natural abilities he should be making as much cash from as he can before he runs out of time.

He should stay the fuck away from boxing though.

True!

It is better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all ... I can still respect him as a rugby player (Union or league) and as a person if he quits boxing now!

His problem now is the media and the public expectation that he has built up ... they will want their pound of flesh!

Fuck them ... stick to what you are (really) good at SBW . "rugby"!

[Paul in NZ]

Well like it or lump it he is a creature of the media coupled with a staggering amount of ability.

You cant just hate him without hating the media that created him. If there is one thing I genuinely do respect him for its that he knows how to use the media to generate income or at least is smart enough to hire people to do that...

Of course we like our heros to be shy and reluctant ones. ie Dean Barker and Ed Hillary etc. We can't quite cope with a SBW...

As far as boxing goes - hmm - I dunno... SBW is built... and hes combat tested. He might not have the technical ability but more often combat sports come down to heart and one thing you have to say is that if SBW decides he wants it Parker will have to knock him down (repeatedly) to stop him and that might not be that easy.

Personally I dont want to see them fight. I'd hate Parkers career to be ruined because of a lucky punch in a vanity fight.

[Big Dave]

Talented, supremely fit athlete wringing all he can from professional sport.

[ellipsis]

...a young bloke does what all young blokes dream of...gets to the top of where he wants to be...bites off a lot more than most could chew...becomes very successful in his chosen disciplines, makes lots of moolah...good on him...I think Parker would hurt him if Sonny was silly enough to get in the ring with him...I wish joe public would kick the bastards who are sucking the life from NZ as much as they do "our", successful people...

[Bikemad]

Remember when Mohammed Ali had no chance against George Foreman ? Biggest hitter in world boxing and Ali won ...

geez man....you can't compare SBW to Ali........Ali had a real good brain on him for a start not to mention his skills....i remember that fight well..........me and a bunch of classmates bunked school for the day to watch it..........no worries.....so did our teacher who called it bang on......everyone wanted to see Ali get his head knocked off for sure....... but Foreman had not been past four rounds in all his fights leading up to his bout with Ali.........so Ali did masses of body blow training pre fight then on the day sat back and let dumb ol george pound away at him on the ropes all the while keeping his head out of the firing line knowing in the jungle heat ol george would be fucked in no time............nek minnet.........8th round........bang .....bang bang.........goodnight george

[Crasherfromwayback]

SBW is a stunning athlete with stunning physical skills and unbeleivable spacial awareness. Spatial Awareness is one of the five intelligences, and SBW has it in spades - maybe one of the highest in that area.

Is he a shit boxer? He's never been really tested so who knows - I'd love to see him fight Parker - I think if Parker hits him SBW will lose. But he is very quick and with great spatial awareness, if he can stay out of trouble he may well win on points. I doubt he could knock out Parker. Remember when Mohammed Ali had no chance against George Foreman ? Biggest hitter in world boxing and Ali won ...

...

Dude. SBW is indeed an amazing athlete...but a boxer he is not. Joseph Parker would slaughter him within ten seconds. He would die a very quick and unbelieveably painfull death.

Talented, supremely fit athlete wringing all he can from professional sport.

Yep. And nothing wrong with that. Their sporting life is short...gotta make hay while the sun shines.

[Paul in NZ]

...a young bloke does what all young blokes dream of...gets to the top of where he wants to be...bites off a lot more than most could chew...becomes very successful in his chosen disciplines, makes lots of moolah...good on him...I think Parker would hurt him if Sonny was silly enough to get in the ring with him...I wish joe public would kick the bastards who are sucking the life from NZ as much as they do "our", successful people...

Now that I do agree with....

[Banditbandit]

geez man....you can't compare SBW to Ali........Ali had a real good brain on him for a start not to mention his skills....i remember that fight well..........me and a bunch of classmates bunked school for the day to watch it..........no worries.....so did our teacher who called it bang on......everyone wanted to see Ali get his head knocked off for sure....... but Foreman had not been past four rounds in all his fights leading up to his bout with Ali.........so Ali did masses of body blow training pre fight then on the day sat back and let dumb ol george pound away at him on the ropes all the while keeping his head out of the firing line knowing in the jungle heat ol george would be fucked in no time............nek minnet.........8th round........bang .....bang bang.........goodnight george

I was not comparing Ali's skills with SBW -- just sayin' ... other fights have been called one-sided before they happened and people have been proven wrong ... don't count chickens and all that ... I remember the fight too ... and I don't believe Williams is as dumb as you think ...

Dude. SBW is indeed an amazing athlete...but a boxer he is not. Joseph Parker would slaughter him within ten seconds. He would die a very quick and unbelieveably painfull death.

I suspect so .. but until it happens we really don't know ... some people I know expected Cameron to take out Tua ... I thought Yeah Right .. and look what happened there ...