Sonny Bill Williams says an Olympic gold would “supersede everything” he has achieved in sport - and he would not give it away.
Williams’ quest to get to the Rio Olympics in sevens continues in Sydney this weekend.
He made a strong debut as New Zealand won the Wellington leg of the World Series last weekend and now he is grabbing headlines across the Tasman.
But Williams made no secret of his belief that the Olympics would top everything in his remarkable career.
He revealed he had given his Roosters NRL premiership ring to his mother and his Bulldogs one to his father.
His mother has his replacement Rugby World Cup medal now too.
Williams says he is driven by his new challenge in sevens.
He has heard Australians Danny Green and Paul Gallen calling him out for fights but says he and his manager Khoder Nasser are putting everything on hold in the hope of making the Olympics.
It’s a similar scenario with his footballing future. His New Zealand Rugby contract runs out after the Olympics.
He has been subjected to constant speculation of a return to the NRL but insists no decision will be made until he gets free of his sevens commitments.
Williams, who survived some rocky moments in the NRL as a youngster, also offered some thoughts on the recent Mitchell Pearce scandal, saying he felt for the Roosters star.
Meanwhile New Zealand is pooled with Australia, Canada and Portugal.
Fiji is pooled with Samoa, Argentina and France.
They will take on Samoa at 12pm Saturday in their first pool game.
Fiji takes on France at 3.18pm and their final pool game is against Argentina at 7.21pm Saturday.
The Cup quarterfinals start at 12.35pm Sunday, the semis start at 4.57pm and the final kicks off at 8.04pm Sunday.
Source: stuff.co.nz
