SBW sinbinned for shoulder charge on debut

[Bobby DIGital]

SONNY Bill Williams' rugby union career got off to an atrocious start when the former Bulldogs star was sinbinned on debut for French club Toulon. Williams, who ignored a court order by playing, was sent from the field for 10 minutes after one of his trademark shoulder charges left his opposite number languishing injured for several minutes.
Williams is famous for his bruising shoulder charges on the rugby league field - where the dangerous tackling technique is legal.
However, shoulder charges are outlawed in rugby union.
In front of a packed house of 3,000 fans for the friendly against Carque-iranne-Hyeres, Williams started on the left wing.

Although it was an away match for Toulon, a huge roar erupted when Williams took the field – confirming his fast rise to celebrity status in France since he walked out on his contract with the Bulldogs two weeks ago.
Mystery had earlier shrouded the former NRL star’s debut after he failed to show up on the team bus or warm up with his teammates.
The secrecy ensured Williams avoided being personally served with a NSW supreme court injunction banning him from playing for Toulon.
The court slapped the injunction on the 22-year-old yesterday and the Bulldogs were attempting to have it served on Williams before today's match.

Manager Khoder Nasser and boxing friend Anthony Mundine supported Williams from front row seats

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24151697-5006066,00.html

LOL! I knew this was gonna happen. Sonny obviously hasn't thought this through at all. I really thought he would of considered this at the least when he made the switch. His shoulder charging days are over..

 

[krudmonk]

Just because they love dogpiles doesn't mean they play hard.

Just because he signed his name doesn't mean he can read the rules.

 

[salivor]

He's an idiot. He's the great player he is because of his ability to shoulder charge and stand in the tackle and offload. Two things he's not going to be able to do in Union with their rules. It just brings him right back to the pack.

 

[In-goal]

The other bloke lay injured, what a cat!!!!

 

[ElectricEelMan]

He's an idiot. He's the great player he is because of his ability to shoulder charge and stand in the tackle and offload. Two things he's not going to be able to do in Union with their rules. It just brings him right back to the pack.

Spot on!

Money Bill didn't really think this one through.

 

[Eelectrica]

Sucked in SBW. Hope this all ends up being a very bad decision he regrets for the rest of his life.

 

[Gaba]

Looks like the french have wasted their money and union will become a laughing stock by buying players who are useless

 

[Holla if ya hear me]

Pisssss funnnyyyyyyyyy..the only decent way he can make a tackle and its banned..thats funny..the highlight package would have been packed with this kind of stuff and the ref sits his ass down for it..cant imagine the look on his face....bwahahahahhahaaa

 

[bluey]

Hope he slips to london for a weekend

 

[gong_eagle]

Suck sh*t you Dog

and should this not be in the Yawnion section

 

[kia ora storm]

SBW..shoulder charge. One dimensional play like that will get caught out...chuck him in super 14 and the likes of Sivivatu, Tuqiri and co will sort him out.

 

[Big-Hitter]

Very predictable but still amusing.

SBW's two biggest tools are virtually useless in union. What was he thinking?

Well done Mundine/Nasser, you've taken an impressionable kid and stuffed his life up!

 

[Lego_Man]

That's got to be the funniest sh*t ive ever heard.

How ironic.

 

[Brutus]

Hope he busts his knee in his next game.

Enjoy playing on the wing dufus.

 

[Loudstrat]

Very predictable but still amusing.

SBW's two biggest tools are virtually useless in union.

Nasser and Mundine?

 

[Alex28]

Brilliant

 

[Girondin]

It's a shame those tackles are not accepted in rugby.
Re the offloads though I think he can bring that with him and use them to good effect - assuming he doesn't get stripped of the ball too often.

 

[Lego_Man]

Stripping the ball is legal in Union so you'd think he would have severe problems once defences found out how to stifle his ball-carrying arm.

 

[Eels Dude]

Can't believe he was so stupid he didn't realise that you're not allowed to shoulder charge. You'd think he'd at least have asked someone before hand.

 

[Girondin]

Stripping the ball is legal in Union so you'd think he would have severe problems once defences found out how to stifle his ball-carrying arm.

Sure he'll have to be more careful but I think he can still do it. The good centers in union do. Will be interesting to see how he adapts.
Umaga said he found the attributes of a great union player in SBW. As Umaga is fully aware of the differences between the codes I think he's got every confidence Williams will make it.