Sonny Bill Williams goes back to school

Sonny Bill Williams is among a group of 10 Blues Super Rugby players who are going back to school to work towards a Bachelor's Degree.

Sonny Bill Williams at Blues training session Photo: Photosport Ltd 2018 www.photosport.nz

No stranger to setting himself fresh challenges, be it in rugby union, sevens, league or boxing, Williams his team-mates have enrolled in a Bachelor of Applied Management at Otago Polytechnic.

The New Zealand Rugby Players Association and New Zealand Rugby have created the opportunity for players to complete study within their personal development time as part of the joint venture and as specified in their Collective Employment Agreement.

I was only 14yrs old when I left high school to pursue my footy dreams. I never had a ‘plan B’ so I’m blessed that it all panned out well for me Now that I’m reaching the latter stage of my career though I’m making moves to continue my learning journey- studying a Bachelor of Applied Management. Grateful for those who encouraged and helped me to take on this exciting challenge and shout out to my bro @thepetema for putting in the mahi with me today ❤️ blessings fam ps ... can’t wait for cheaper movies with my Student I.D hahaha always wanted one of these lessssgooooo! #HadToRepostWithoutMyStudentId #CauseYouCantTrustAnyoneOutHere #MyEmailAlreadySpammed #SadGuysHahahaha

A post shared by Sonny Bill Williams (@sonnybillwilliams) on Jul 11, 2018 at 1:08am PDT

The Blues group, including Williams, will remain based in Auckland, utilising Otago Polytechnic's Queens St campus on occasion.

They follow in the footsteps of a range of elite sportspeople who have studied through Capable NZ.

These include sevens legend DJ Forbes, Olympic athletics coach Raylene Bates, Black Caps cricketer Grant Elliott, Tongan rugby international Hale T-Pole, Samoan rugby international Seilala Mapusua, Silver Ferns netballers Jodi Brown and Katrina Grant, windsurfing legend Barbara Kendall and hockey player Katie Glynn.