Rugby: SBW ready to get boots on

The returning star is expected to take the field for Counties against Auckland tomorrow.

There is little rest for the ambitious and talented sportsman Sonny Bill Williams.

Less than nine days after his Roosters side were knocked out of the NRL, the 29-year-old, 19-test All Black was getting his head around the plays and fronting a sizeable media contingent of around 20 at Counties Manukau rugby training yesterday.

To give you an idea, it is usually possible to count on one hand the number of media representatives who turn up to an ITM Cup session. Auckland attracted two to theirs just two hours earlier.

It was cold and wet in Drury, a long way from Sydney, where temperatures topped 30C on Sunday.

"I told the boys it's like the New Zealand summer in Australia at the moment," quipped Williams.

Until the Chiefs' season kicks off, he will stay with his mother in Auckland. His new union is halfway between there and Hamilton, to where he will ultimately decamp.

There was no word from Williams about possibly leaving the All Blacks' tour early next month to be with his wife, who is due to give birth in mid-November. In fact, he was unwilling to discuss anything beyond this week with regard to the All Blacks. That does not mean he and his manager Khoder Nasser do not have a plan, just that he does not want to "get ahead" of himself.

All Black coach Steve Hansen has already given Williams a free pass to the end-of-year tour, but is unlikely to call him up early for the October 18 Bledisloe Cup test in Brisbane.

Williams is likely to come off the bench for Counties Manukau in tomorrow night's ITM Cup clash with Auckland in Pukekohe, with a view to starting him on Sunday for the match with Tasman in Blenheim. Those two games will get him back into the game at a lower level before he tackles test rugby.

Williams seemed in good nick and relatively relaxed for his first day back in rugby mode since August 2012.

As ever, he said little of real consequence. Like Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Kieran Read, sport's most famous three initials always lets his play do the talking.

"I'm just keen to chuck the boots on again. I'm feeling refreshed and ready to go."

He was more animated when quizzed about Sunday night's NRL grand final, won by the South Sydney Rabbitohs from his old club the Bulldogs.

"It was a tough old game. Congrats to Souths. I know what that means as a player as I've done that a couple of times ... Sam Burgess is playing some great footy and there's some classy players there."

He enjoyed the "welcoming" nature of the Counties Manukau rugby environment and relished reuniting with his mentor, coach Tana Umaga.

Code-swapper

Sonny William (Sonny Bill) Williams.

Born: August 3, 1985, Auckland, age 29.
Schools: Owairaka Primary, Wesley Intermediate, Mt Albert Grammar.
Married: Alana Raffie in 2013.
League career: Bulldogs 2004-08, Roosters 2013-14.
Rugby career: Toulon 2008-10, Canterbury 2010, All Blacks 2010-12 (19 tests), Crusaders 2011, Chiefs 2012, Panasonic Wild Knights (Japan) 2012-13.
Boxing career: 6-0 (3 by KO) professional record, held NZ heavyweight title for a time in 2012.