Rugby: Sonny Bill confirmed for Canterbury, Crusaders

Sonny Bill Williams has rejected offers from Hawke's Bay, North Harbour and Counties-Manukau to play for Canterbury, a report said today. Photo / Getty Images

Sonny Bill Williams will play for Canterbury in the national championship and the Crusaders in next year's expanded Super Rugby competition.

Canterbury head coach Rob Penney and Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder said they were delighted to have Williams on board.

"Sonny Bill is an exciting prospect for us. We're all looking forward to working with him this season and are sure he will fit in very well", said Penney.

"We are sure Sonny Bill will do very well with the Crusaders in 2011", said Blackadder. "We're confident we can help in his development and we're sure he will add a lot to our game. Sonny Bill is a humble and down-to-earth guy and I know he has a very professional approach."

Williams joins Canterbury and the Crusaders from French club Toulon. He has stated that his aim is to represent the All Blacks at next year's Rugby World Cup and both Penney and Blackadder said they were sure he has made the right choices with a view to developing his game.

Hawke's Bay, North Harbour and Counties-Manukau had also made lucrative pitches at Williams.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Williams, a former National Rugby League player, spurned those offers because he believed playing alongside the likes of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw at provincial and Super rugby level was the best path to play for New Zealand at next year's World Cup.