SBW - Circus act continue

So SBW is off to Japan to play about 12 games of rugby for 1.7 million NZ bucks, which works out to just over 100,000 dollars per hour or 1700 dollars per minute of rugby. Why anyone would want to go to Japan to excel in their rugby career is beyond me. Then again, SBW does not seem to concerned about doing that. He wants two things: money and attention. But isn’t that what everyone would love - to be the constant centre of attention whilst getting paid bucket loads of cash? So who can blame him.

I am a huge fan of loyalty in sport. A recent example involved Hosea Gear turning down a big money offer to play in Japan because the aura of the All Blacks jersey was still at the top of his desires. SBW has hopped from country to country, sport to sport, chasing those who will offer him the moolah. What a great life he leads. I only wish i could do that. Me personally, I would never even think of playing against Wellington in anything (if I ever get to that stage). I would want to establish myself and repay my love for my home town.
I cannot understand the big (ok make that ridiculusly huge) attention given to the press conference he held today. My gosh it just led the Prime News at 5.30 and the sports wrap at 5.45. They implicitly asked the question who will replace SBW and the big hole he leaves in the All Blacks. Um, hello? Remember Nonu?! There is also Fruean and Kahui so I am in no scared on the prospect of a SBW-less All Blacks.

He says he has loved NZ rugby, the Chiefs “brothers” as he said today. So if he loved it so much why has he left? Just when he was hitting his best form for the All Blacks in the Irish series last month, he leaves, and is now unable to establish some sort of legacy like current veteran All Blacks such as McCaw, Carter, Woodcock. I just hope that if he does decide to comeback in 2014 which I think seems likely, that the NZRU don’t bend over backwards for him and give him several clauses in his contract, and that he earns his place in the team. After being absent from rugby for two years, and while other youngsters hit their best rugby, that will be hard.

However, I do wish him well in rugby league. It is where he belongs. I will be cheering him on if he, as expected, makes the Kiwis squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. I just hope that one day this constant media obsession with him, most notably the large newspaper images of his arms and tattoos, stops.