CHRIS FOY IN SAMOA: Sam Burgess's switch to the back row has enhanced his prospects of appearing at the World Cup, according to his leading Kiwi rival from rugby league.

Sonny Bill Williams made an instant impact as New Zealand opened their World Cup defence with victory against Argentina in front of 90,000 at Wembley, but says there is plenty of work to do.

To Sonny Bill Williams, the All Blacks' stunning loss to France in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup is ancient history. 'I didn't even watch the game, I was playing rugby league,' Williams said.

It is scenes like this that sum up the magical quality of sport. Moments after making history with New Zealand by retaining the World Cup, Sonny Bill Williams gave his medal to a young supporter.

New Zealand star Sonny Bill Williams has been praised after gifting his coveted Rugby World Cup medal to a young fan who was tackled by a heavy handed security guard when he invaded the pitch.

After wowing the world of sport with his incredible gesture to a young fan, New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams has been rewarded by World Rugby with a new medal.

Young supporter Charlie Lines, 14, was tackled by security before Sonny Bill Williams gave his Rugby World Cup winners medal to him after he had burst onto the field after Saturday's win.

It was quite fitting that the final pass of an epic World Cup was a trademark one-handed offload from Sonny Bill Williams. Having won the final, SBW has now turned his attention to Sevens.

The lucky fan who was handed a medal by All Black ace Sonny Bill Williams after running onto the field has been reunited with the centre ahead of the squad's return to New Zealand. 

All Blacks rugby player and former NRL star Sonny Bill Williams is a powerful athlete and has revealed his bizarre secret weapon - an unsightly, bloody procedure.

When Sonny Bill Williams posted a photo of himself getting cupping treatment social media went in to overdrive. Here Femail reveals the strangest beauty treatments that celebrities swear by

The All Blacks centre said meeting vulnerable children at a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon made him realise how 'ignorant' he has been about the escalating crisis.

Twice Rugby World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams (pictured) has asked for Jonah Lomu to be shown respect after media claims he died a pauper despite earning millions at the height of his fame.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Sonny Bill Williams tweeted explicit pictures of two dead children with wounds to their heads and torsos following his visit to Syrian refugee camps.

Global children's fund charity UNICEF have criticised rugby star Sonny Bill Williams after he posted explicit pictures of two dead children in Syria to his 500,000 followers on Twitter.

Sonny Bill Williams' debut for the New Zealand Sevens began in dream fashion on Saturday. He was the only newcomer to their side named to play in the Wellington round of the World Sevens series.

It was a case of deja vu, as Joe Webber scored the winning try after the hooter, having also struck in extra time to give New Zealand a win over South Africa in pool play.

It's no secret that many aspiring athletes would kill to receive a training session with All Blacks player Sonny Bill Williams. 

Sonny Bill Williams is part of the New Zealand squad hoping to mark the inaugural rugby sevens competition at the Games by topping the podium after transitioning to the format.

Gold medal favourites New Zealand suffered a shock defeat to Japan in their opening rugby sevens match of this summer's Olympics.

New Zealand have been dealt a major blow with news that Sonny Bill Williams is set to be until at least Spring due to injury.

NIK SIMON IN WELLINGTON: The centre was sent off after 25 minutes at the Westpac Stadium, where the Lions kept the series alive with a famous 24-21 victory.

Williams was sent off by French referee Jerome Garces during New Zealand's second Test defeat against the British and Irish Lions in Wellington last month.

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: The ambitious Manchester club are understood to have made contact with Williams’ representatives through a third party earlier this week.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has defended Sonny Bill Williams from criticism in the New Zealand media, praising the midfielder's 'hard work' on the field after a long comeback from injury.

Jerome Kaino, Patrick Tuipulotu, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen and Kieran Read hit the gym, along with centre Sonny Bill Williams, who wore a Manchester United shirt.

Sonny Bill Williams has come under fire for a social media post which shows his daughter riding in the back of a convertible in the Cook Islands, but can you spot what's wrong with it?

Sonny Bill Williams has hit back at critics after he was slammed over a photo showing his daughter Imaan, three, riding in a vehicle without a car seat during the family's recent trip to the Cook Islands.

The unlikely reunion comes as the South African and Australian teams are embroiled in a stoush over degrading comments made towards Warner about his wife's fling with SBW.

Candice Warner has apologised to former NRL star Sonny Bill Williams and his family after their 2007 'toilet tryst' was dredged up in the media earlier this year

All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams revealed on Friday that the surgery he undertook for a knee injury that ruled him out of this month's test series against France had been successful.

Sonny Bill Williams brought some hilarity to his hospital nurses after receiving surgery last week. 

Sonny Bill Williams has welcomed his first son.

All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams held a traditional Islamic birth ceremony for his newborn son, Zaid.   

Doting Daddy! NRL star Sonny Bill Williams posts adorable father-son snap to his Instagram

Candice Warner, the wife of former Australian cricket David Warner, has finally broken her silence after he husband was banished from the national team earlier this year.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson shared his shock at the brawl that followed Khabib Nurmagomedov's UFC 229 submission win over Conor McGregor.

New Zealand centre Sonny Bill Williams says he feels 'blessed' to be winning his 50th cap for the All Blacks against Australia in the third Bledisloe Cup test in Yokohama on Saturday.

Sonny Bill Williams' wretched year went from bad to worse on Saturday as the New Zealand centre appears likely to have finished an injury-plagued campaign with a shoulder issue.

Williams suffered a shoulder injury during the match at Twickenham and was ruled out of the clash in Dublin, which will see the world Nos 1 and 2 go head-to-head in the autumn international.

Stu Laundy, 45, admits to Daily Mail Australia that he will get knocked out by Sonny Bill Williams, 33, during a charity boxing match in Sydney on Saturday.

He's set to go head-to-head with The Bachelorette's Stu Laundy in a charity boxing match on Saturday.

Stu Laundy, 46, is set to fight against Sonny Bill Williams, 33, in a charity boxing match on Saturday.

Stu Laundy is about to face-off against Sonny Bill Williams in the boxing ring.

His boxing match victory against All Blacks champion, Sonny Bill Williams was the result no one saw coming.

All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams has indicated that this year could be his last at the Auckland Blues. Williams, a two-times Rugby World Cup winner, is out of contract following the global showpiece.

Sonny Bill Williams joined thousands of fellow Muslims and New Zealanders for Friday prayers in Christchurch as the country remembered the victims of last week's shooting.

The 33-year-old shared joyous snaps from his graduation ceremony, at Otago Polytechnic, on Wednesday, proving it's possible to balance professional sporting commitments with study.

The 33-year-old athlete arrived back in New Zealand after the All Blacks faced off against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Sunday. And his return caught his daughters by surprise.

Sonny Bill Williams has expressed his disappointment at a picture of himself and fellow Muslim Ofa Tuungafasi praying before a World Cup match being taken down from Instagram.