Sonny William Williams, known as Sonny Bill, was born in Auckland and educated at Mount Nelson Grammar School. Initially a renowned rugby league player with Canterbury Bulldogs in Australia, he switched to rugby union late in 2008 with the French club, Toulon. The following June he made his debut for the Barbarians against Australia in Sydney. He then returned to New Zealand to play Super Rugby with the Crusaders and made his All Blacks' debut at Twickenham against England on 6 November 2010. He was a member of the New Zealand squad that won the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and by the end of that tournament had extended his All Balcks' record to four tries in 14 tests.