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New Zealand want Sonny Bill's star power to boost 7s side at Rio 2016

Two codes of rugby (and a bit of boxing) aren’t enough to keep SBW busy.

SONNY BILL WILLIAMS is one of a number of All Blacks set to be targeted to run out for New Zealand in the 2016 Olympic Games’ rugby Sevens.

The Rio de Janeiro Games will be the first to include rugby, with world champions New Zealand likely to be installed as one of the favourites for gold.

Savea brothers Ardie and Julian, Liam Messam and Charles Piutau are among a group of All Blacks reportedly in the thoughts of sevens coach Gordon Tietjens, alongside Williams.

Rugby Union - QBE International 2014 - England v New Zealand - Twickenham

New Zealand Rugby general manager Neil Sorensen and player relationship manager Ben Castle have been tasked with ascertaining which All Blacks players will be chosen to supplement a core of existing sevens regulars.

“Ben and I are going around in the next couple of months to talk to players. Titch [Tietjens] may be interested in about how it might work in 2016 in terms of whether they can play any Super Rugby and how many sevens tournaments they’d have to play,” Sorensen said.

It’s going to be personalised to a large extent. The Super Rugby teams need to know sooner than later so they can talk to other players. Knocking it off in May this year gives everyone certainty.

“You’re looking at a mix of specialist gurus, the experts who have played sevens for a few years, and a smattering of other players like Sonny Bill.

“I certainly don’t see it being eight All Blacks and four other guys. It won’t work like that.”

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    Mute conor carroll
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:51 PM

    Great advertisement for the LOI. How ex Shels RTE commentator could say Matty Smith should not have been sent off is beyond me. Shels lost their discipline at the end.

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:01 PM

    What a game. Incredible to watch on telly.

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    Mute Super Saint
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:47 PM

    Brilliant game of football! Up the Saints!

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    Mute michael graham
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:06 PM

    Incredible match , brilliant atmosphere .I wonder why Pats were only given 500 tickets when there was room for another 500

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    Mute Ultán Corcoran
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:51 PM

    May not be riveting football, but I’d rather it that way with lots of goals any day. Some incredible finishes, particularly the two Shels goals. They still have a healthy lead but sometimes pressure affects less-experienced sides more when it matters most. Rovers with the more favourable fixtures too, albeit they need a win next week to truly unsettle Duff’s men for the run in. Those sides fighting relegation like Drogheda can become banana skins too in the latter stages of any league.

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    Mute Bert Carolan
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:28 PM

    Great entertainment. Couple of wonderful finishes, Keenas effort from inside his own half outrageous.
    Mistakes to be sure but guys on 100000 a week make mistakes.
    Thought Shels should have brought on the big lad up front sooner.

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    Mute Ian Cunningham
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:44 PM

    It’s like a bunch of drunks doing a 100 metre race. If you’re invested in a team it may seem exciting, but it’s been a very poor season, particularly for Shams with all the resources at their disposal. Even if they do win in the end, Bradders has been exposed as clueless.

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    Mute Ellis Dewald
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:59 PM

    @Ian Cunningham: you do talk some drivel Ian!

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    Mute Ian Cunningham
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:39 PM

    @Ellis Dewald: Shels have 54 points out of 96, Shams 49 out of 96. In any other league in the world these stats wouldn’t put a team within an asses roar of the title. Just because anyone can beat anyone on a given day doesn’t make it a great league.

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    Mute Bert Carolan
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:43 PM

    @Ian Cunningham: Bayern Munich ran away with the bundesliga every year until last year, did that make it a great league?

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    Mute Ultán Corcoran
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    Sep 30th 2024, 11:57 PM

    @Bert Carolan: Personally I will say yes ;) although not the ideal regular winner I agree. If we had a bit more nerve, BVB should’ve snapped up two of them titles too.

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    Mute Fergus Desmond
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:24 AM

    @Ian Cunningham:

    Drivel is right

    Great advertisement for the league with ROVERS back in it

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    Mute Brian I
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    Sep 30th 2024, 11:34 PM

    After shels made it two each, they needed composure, and Duff just throne a tantrum on the line and it seeped into the team, it was a great game, it’s amazing how open it still is, if Pats were to win all four games and get to 59, the other teams are showing no consistency to say they will, poor season but has the makings of a great finish.

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    Mute Ruairi Galavan
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:14 AM

    Brilliant stuff. Best LOI game I can remember seeing and delighted the TV cameras were there. Now imagine what our league could be with some investment.

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    Mute Tony McGrath
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:20 PM

    The bluffer should be made watch fools and horses

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    Mute patsfan1166
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:54 AM

    Sh€ls are falling apart again

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