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Sonny Bill Williams unlikely starter for Chiefs next year.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie says that Sonny Bill Williams is next to no chance of returning to the Super Rugby franchise next year
Sonny Bill Williams was at the Crowne Plaza in Coogee within about 30 minutes of his old team the Chiefs arriving on Wednesday night.
The Roosters back was seen around the hotel on Thursday, with Chiefs coach Dave Rennie confirming the dual international was putting in quality time with his former stablemates. But Rennie appears to have surrendered hope of luring back his former strike weapon at the end of the year, when Williams's contract ends with the Roosters.
"There's certainly no talk about us trying to drag him back across the Tasman next year although that would be really good, but it was good to catch up with him," he said.
There is hope for 2015, Rennie said, when the New Zealand Rugby Union will be preparing to defend their World Cup title.
Advertisement "I reckon [there is] a good chance of getting him back in 2015, a World Cup year," he said. "In the end there's a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then but who knows he may love his return back to rugby league and it may be hard to prise him out.
"But he's always up for challenges, Sonny, so a World Cup would be a good opportunity to try and lure him back and if he comes back to rugby he'll definitely come back to the Chiefs so we're keen to see that happen."
Williams has been asked to address the Chiefs ahead of their clash with the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium on Friday.
The 27-year-old is highly regarded in the Waikato region after devoting himself to the Chiefs during his season there last year.
"He was a massive part of our group last year, he loves the boys, so it's good having him around," Rennie said.
"We're going to get him to have a bit of a chat to our team, just from a motivational point of view."
Rennie said he would love it if Williams could watch the game tomorrow night but believed he would head to Canberra to support the Kiwis in the Anzac Test.
Williams was not available for selection for the clash, citing a knee complaint
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz2Qn74caFL
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie says that Sonny Bill Williams is next to no chance of returning to the Super Rugby franchise next year
Sonny Bill Williams was at the Crowne Plaza in Coogee within about 30 minutes of his old team the Chiefs arriving on Wednesday night.
The Roosters back was seen around the hotel on Thursday, with Chiefs coach Dave Rennie confirming the dual international was putting in quality time with his former stablemates. But Rennie appears to have surrendered hope of luring back his former strike weapon at the end of the year, when Williams's contract ends with the Roosters.
"There's certainly no talk about us trying to drag him back across the Tasman next year although that would be really good, but it was good to catch up with him," he said.
There is hope for 2015, Rennie said, when the New Zealand Rugby Union will be preparing to defend their World Cup title.
Advertisement "I reckon [there is] a good chance of getting him back in 2015, a World Cup year," he said. "In the end there's a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then but who knows he may love his return back to rugby league and it may be hard to prise him out.
"But he's always up for challenges, Sonny, so a World Cup would be a good opportunity to try and lure him back and if he comes back to rugby he'll definitely come back to the Chiefs so we're keen to see that happen."
Williams has been asked to address the Chiefs ahead of their clash with the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium on Friday.
The 27-year-old is highly regarded in the Waikato region after devoting himself to the Chiefs during his season there last year.
"He was a massive part of our group last year, he loves the boys, so it's good having him around," Rennie said.
"We're going to get him to have a bit of a chat to our team, just from a motivational point of view."
Rennie said he would love it if Williams could watch the game tomorrow night but believed he would head to Canberra to support the Kiwis in the Anzac Test.
Williams was not available for selection for the clash, citing a knee complaint
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz2Qn74caFL
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