Wynne Gray: Who will accompany SBW on November tour?

Sonny Bill Williams. Photo / Getty Images

It's going to be Sonny Bill Williams and 29 others for the All Blacks end-of-year tour, isn't it?

For a nano-second, the TAB thought about opening a book on the topic and then shelved the idea. They came to the same conclusion - for differing reasons - when the Graham Henry/Robbie Deans coaching duel was in full swing.

Anyway, back to SBW. Lots may say So Bloody What but he is, almost, in red and black land and about to start his New Zealand rugby induction with Canterbury.

We've heard a few bits 'n pieces via televisual links from SBW across the Ditch as he has gone about preparations for his boxing bout on the Gold Coast. Seems an amiable bloke and he is certainly a multi-talented athlete.

Apparently SBW does something only after the say-so of his manager Khoder Nasser, a man who appears to wield an unusual, some would say disconcerting, influence on his life. If that continues in New Zealand, the relationship with the Cantabs and All Black staff may not be as cosy as it was when they courted him recently.

SBW will generate a new level of spectator interest in Christchurch. If he plays club rugby - presumably he must join a club though Nasser may have to vet that choice too - crowds will be huge, while Canterbury's opening game against Hawkes Bay in Christchurch on Friday, July 30, should get a super-sized attendance.

It will be compulsory viewing even from this island. You can only wish good fortune to members of the fourth estate who will be on SBW watch for the next few years - it will give them a taste of Lomumania which infected this area in the 90s.

The decision to link up with the Canterbury/Crusaders empire occurred because it was felt SBW would benefit hugely from playing alongside Daniel Carter. Sound thinking but those opportunities may be zero during the ITM Cup. SBW may have to take his initial national provincial championship tuition from Stephen Brett or Colin Slade.

Should Canterbury coaches Rob Penney and Tabai Matson need any further help they can always put in a local call to whistle up national coaches Wayne Smith or Steve Hansen for some extra-tuition with SBW.

But if the New Zealand Rugby Union and All Black selectors want top value from their deal with the cross-code champion, no matter his ITM form and barring injury, they will need to pick him for the five-test trip in November.

That will give the coaching staff plenty of time to evaluate and tutor SBW in some of the more technical aspects of rugby at the highest level, while also giving him a taste of life on the road with the most famous and successful side on the planet.

Also probably multi-requests from the Brits for interviews with SBW. Let's see how the All Blacks handle that, hopefully they don't co-opt Nasser on to the staff for that trip.