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EDITOR’S LETTER

PERFECT START • Blake Gibson did the near impossible on the opening night of Super Rugby – he ran over the top of Highlanders fullback and Mr Perfect, Ben Smith.

WHY READO WAS THE ONLY CHOICE

WHAT WENT ON IN VICTOR’S HEAD? • HURRICANES LOOSE FORWARD VICTOR VITO HAD TO INTERNALISE A REALLY COMPLICATED SITUATION IN HIS HEAD WHEN FRENCH CLUB LA ROCHELLE OFFERED HIM A THREE-YEAR, HUGELY LUCRATIVE DEAL. HERE’S HOW HE MIGHT HAVE REACHED HIS DECISION TO TAKE THE OFFSHORE OFFER.

SHOULD HE STAY OR SHOULD HE GO..?

IN A RICH MAN’S WORLD

HOTTEST COMBINATIONS • DON’T CROSS THE RED LINE

Embracing change • TONY JOHNSON IS A COMMENTATOR AND PRESENTER FOR SKY TV’S RUGBY COVERAGE IN NEW ZEALAND.

In search of a new Nonu • WYNNE GRAY IS THE SENIOR RUGBY WRITER AT THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD.

SIMPLY THE BEST • JUDGEMENT ABOUT SONNY BILL WILLIAMS HAS OFTEN BEEN CLOUDED BY THE FACT NOT EVERYONE LIKES HIM. BUT NOW THAT HE’S ON TRACK TO ADD THE OLYMPICS TO HIS SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS, IT’S TIME FOR EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT THEY THINK OF HIM, TO RECOGNISE HE’S THE GREATEST CROSS-CODE ATHLETE IN HISTORY. GREGOR PAUL WITH THE STORY.

GOLD STANDARD • SONNY BILL WILLIAMS HAS NOT ONLY TRIED HIS HAND AT FOUR PROFESSIONAL CODES, HE’S PICKED UP MANY TITLES ALONG THE WAY. WE LOOK AT HIS CAREER HAUL OF TITLES.

CROSS CODE CONTENDERS • SONNY BILL WILLIAMS IS BY NO MEANS THE ONLY ATHLETE TO HAVE EXCELLED ACROSS A NUMBER OF CODES. WE PICK OUT TOP FIVE ATHLETES WHO COME CLOSEST TO CHALLENGING SBW AS THE GREATEST.

THE RIGHTEOUS PATH • IT HAS TAKEN A DECADE FOR THE CAREER OF SONNY BILL WILLIAMS TO MAKE SENSE AND FOR JUDGEMENT ABOUT HIS MOTIVATIONS TO CHANGE. RATHER THAN BEING A HAPHAZARD SERIES OF DECISIONS, GREGOR PAUL SAYS SBW HAS FOLLOWED A WELL CONSIDERED AND INSPIRING PLAN.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SBW

ESSENCE OF SONNY

SONNY BILL WILLIAMS

BACK ON THE RANGE • THERE WAS CONSENSUS THAT RENE RANGER LEFT NEW ZEALAND TOO SOON WHEN HE HEADED FOR FRANCE IN 2013. NOW HE’S BACK AND EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE WHAT HE CAN DO. LIAM NAPIER REPORTS.

REINVENTING THE WHEEL • HE WAS THE SURPRISE PACKAGE OF 2015, BUT NEHE MILNER-SKUDDER WILL HAVE TO REINVENT HIMSELF IN 2016 TO BE THE SAME FORCE.

THE SECOND COMING • NATHAN HARRIS WAS ON TRACK TO MAKE THE ALL BLACKS WORLD CUP SQUAD WHEN SERIOUS INJURY STRUCK IN NOVEMBER 2014. HE’S DETERMINED TO SHOW EVERYONE THAT HE HAS RETURNED TO ACTION BIGGER, STRONGER AND BETTER. STEVE HALE WITH THE STORY.

LIFE IN THE OLD DOG • TANERAU LATIMER HAS CUT SHORT HIS STINT IN JAPAN TO SHOW THAT HE CAN STILL PLAY TOP FLIGHT FOOTBALL.

LOOSIE SPEAKING • IT WAS ONLY TWO YEARS AGO THAT STEVEN LUATUA WAS ONE OF THE BEST EMERGING LOOSE FORWARDS IN THE COUNTRY. A LOSS OF FORM AND INJURY SAW HIM VIRTUALLY DISAPPEAR IN 2014 AND 2015. GREGOR PAUL REPORTS.

BAG OF TRICKS • NEW ZEALAND LOST A SPECIAL, VERSATILE TALENT WHEN COLIN SLADE LEFT FOR FRANCE AFTER THE WORLD CUP. DAMIAN McKENZIE IS HOPEFUL THAT HE CAN STEP UP AND DO A SIMILAR JOB THIS YEAR.

BATTLE POSITIONS • IT WILL BE A YEAR OF CHANGE FOR THE ALL BLACKS AFTER THE ‘GOLDEN GENERATION’ MOVED ON AFTER THE WORLD CUP. A NUMBER OF JERSEYS ARE UP FOR GRABS AND THE BATTLE TO FILL THEM WILL BE FASCINATING.

DOWNSIZING • BLUES PROP CHARLIE FAUMUINA FELT THE COLD BLADE OF THE ALL BLACKS SELECTION AXE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN HE COULDN’T HOLD HIS FITNESS. HE WAS EATING TOO MUCH – A MISTAKE HE’S CONFIDENT HE WON’T MAKE AGAIN.

QUICK, LIGHT AND EASY • NZ RUGBY WORLD has teamed up with MY FOOD BAG to bring you brilliant, healthy recipes that are perfect for athletes and the rest of the family.

SIX NATIONS ROUND UP • DETERMINED TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER A...