One of my major goals off the field is to conduct myself in a way that… parents are proud to say, ‘Oh yeah, look, he wants to be like Sonny Bill Williams.’ – Sonny Bill Williams
As a rugby player, you strive to be an All Black, win a World Cup, and win a Super Rugby title. – Sonny Bill Williams
I am my own man now; I can think for myself, whereas when I was 20, 21, I always wanted to please others. – Sonny Bill Williams
Now, I know a lot of things in the big man’s world are not what they seem: a lot of people are out for themselves, and you can’t always trust what someone says. – Sonny Bill Williams
I was never going to be a rocket scientist. But I found the field that I was blessed to be able to do, and I just put my whole effort into that. – Sonny Bill Williams
I grew up as a Polynesian kid in the Polynesian community, and I was this skinny white kid. – Sonny Bill Williams
My old man never used to cook, so we lived on takeaway. The others were always jealous. – Sonny Bill Williams
For myself, it’s trying to do my best in whatever I am doing. At this time, it is boxing; then when I get home, I want to be the best father, the best husband, the best man I can be. – Sonny Bill Williams
I had to work on the fundamentals of the game because in league, the position I played, it was just bash and crash. – Sonny Bill Williams
Beforehand you think, ‘Oh, changing nappies – I’m going to be up; I need to get sleep for training.’ But when it happens, when you’re there, as soon as you hear a wiggle or a cough or something, you’re up straight away. It doesn’t bother you. – Sonny Bill Williams
I grew up in a commissioned house in the next suburb over, Mount Abbot. It was a two-bedroom house with me, my brother, and my two sisters. Mum and Dad slept in the lounge, and we didn’t have wallpaper. – Sonny Bill Williams
Although the rugby league fraternity probably don’t like it, the rugby union fraternity probably doesn’t like it, it’s cool for sportsmen, for young kids coming up, to know that there’s not just that one door. – Sonny Bill Williams
I don’t have the runs on the board to trash talk anyone in the boxing sense. I’ve got to do it the hard way and earn that respect. – Sonny Bill Williams
It’s been a long while, but, thank God, now I’ve been able to get my mum a house. – Sonny Bill Williams
I like the challenge, week in, week out, of trying to play good, consistent footy. – Sonny Bill Williams
I’m a lot more comfortable in the ring. I’m comfortable catching punches, and defensively, I feel like I’ve improved a lot. I am banking on my athleticism. I’ve worked hard on my footwork. – Sonny Bill Williams
I guess I’ve always had a – not really thought of myself as this big star, big identity in the game. – Sonny Bill Williams
As a league player, for myself, you strive to win a comp. I’m lucky enough to have achieved that… but most sportspeople would love to go to the Olympics, and I haven’t achieved that. – Sonny Bill Williams
Sometimes they are big hurdles, but good players can overcome them. I am trying to do my best. – Sonny Bill Williams
I’ve become a true Muslim. It’s giving me happiness. It’s made me become content as a man and helped me to grow. I’ve just got faith in it, and it has definitely helped me become the man I am today. – Sonny Bill Williams
I’ve had an amazing ride. I’ve been blessed beyond things that I could never have imagined. – Sonny Bill Williams
I didn’t feel that I really fit in anywhere. So when I was young I always had to prove myself through my sporting ability. – Sonny Bill Williams
One thing I’ve learned over my career is that simplicity is the key: on the field, off as well. – Sonny Bill Williams
There was no way I was going to end up in the scrum when I came to rugby – you know, waste my pretty looks. – Sonny Bill Williams
