SBW weighing up 'massive offers' from English clubs

He is busy preparing for the Olympic Games with the New Zealand Sevens side, but Sonny Bill Williams' future after August is shrouded in mystery.

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Johannesburg - He is busy preparing for the Olympic Games with the New Zealand Sevens side, but Sonny Bill Williams' future after August is shrouded in mystery.

The latest claim, this time from the Sydney Morning Herald, is that the two-time Rugby World Cup champion is weighing up a few hefty offers from English Premiership clubs.

This comes after Williams was first linked with a move back to rugby league with the Sydney Roosters in the NRL in Australia. Then there were strong rumours in the French media that Williams would return to his first rugby union club, Toulon, after finishing his commitments in sevens.

The New Zealand Rugby Union, though, don't want to let go of one of their prized assets just yet, especially with the likes of stalwart centres Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith moving overseas and being unavailable for the All Blacks.

The Kiwis would want to build a backline around Williams, as flyhalf has also moved on to France. The Stuff website reported in April that the NZRU will allow Williams to continue his boxing career if he decides to stay at home and extend a contract that ends in December.

An extra motivation for the 30-year-old Williams is the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand in 2017, and that could be the decisive factor in him choosing to continue at either the Chiefs or even the Blues, who also want the midfielder on their books next season.

But the Sydney Morning Herald said that there are “massive offers from English rugby clubs” for Williams' services, and that the lucrative deals - said to be record-breaking and up to four years - would match those that Carter and Matt Giteau received in France. Wallaby playmaker Kurtley Beale announced last week that he is leaving Australian rugby at the end of the season to join English club Wasps, so it is not inconceivable that Williams could go north as well. - African News Agency (ANA)