A moment of sanity over Sonny Bill circus

OPINION: I was half expecting Sonny Bill Williams to be named in the All Blacks at the weekend, so warm and fuzzy have the vibes been about the former league star playing rugby in New Zealand.

In the event the All Blacks selectors went with Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui, Benson Stanley and, if required, Mils Muliaina as their midfield backs in their first squad of the season, but the shadow of Williams looms over everyone.

Williams' agent, Khoder Nasser, has been in New Zealand, being charmed and courted by various New Zealand Rugby Union officials and even the All Black selectors.

He looked more like he was here to sell used cars than a top-class rugby player, but clearly the rugby people who matter are keen to have Sonny Bill on board.

New Zealand union general manager Neil Sorensen issued a rather breathless statement after speaking to Nasser, saying he was optimistic Williams would play rugby in New Zealand.

But hold on. Can we have just a bit of sanity here?

Williams has settled in at Toulon and has played pretty well at centre in a backline that also includes Jonny Wilkinson and Tana Umaga.

He looked good in Toulon's recent loss to the Cardiff Blues in the European Challenge Cup final.

That said, New Zealand rugby should tread carefully in dealing with Williams, instead of fawning over him.

The way Williams walked out on his Canterbury rugby league team-mates last year was despicable. He's had various brushes with the law in Australia, and I question how much his self-discipline has improved after a few months in France.

Now he's back in Australia talking about how "cool" it would be to play for the All Blacks, but also saying that he loves his life in Toulon and has been offered a good contract to remain there for three more years.

It seems the classic case of talking up the asking price.

I expect that any day we will hear the Dallas Cowboys or the Minnesota Vikings are chasing him for an American NFL contract.

How focused is Williams to get into the All Blacks?

I note his second professional boxing bout is set for the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on June 30. Does this sound like a person so desperate to be an All Black that he is putting rugby ahead of everything?

I'd have felt much happier if Sonny Bill had come back to New Zealand quietly, turned out for a provincial team and earned himself a Super 14 contract.

What's happened, with him being made a special case, sends a bad signal to other New Zealand rugby players who have stayed here and battled their way through the ranks.

Apparently, Williams is likely to settle on Counties as his national championship team and the Crusaders for a Super 14 side, if the terms are right.

Oh well. At least if Williams turns up at the Crusaders next year it will make Andy Haden happy.

Williams is part-Samoan and that will help the Crusaders increase their quota of Polynesian players, an issue that seemed to be concerning Haden deeply last week.

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