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Sonny Bill Williams last night walked out on the Bulldogs and into a career in rugby union.
The 22-year-old star has shocked the league fraternity by reportedly fl ying to France to sign a deal with Tana Umaga's French rugby club Toulon for more than $3 million over two years, although late last night Toulon's president deniedit. Mourad Boudjellal said the club had spoken to Williams but there was no deal signed.
However, Williams' controversial manager, Khoder Nasser, confi rmed to the Bulldogs that his client had left the country for pastures greener.
"He's let a lot of people down," said ex-Kiwis great Hugh McGahan. "He's let his sport down. He's walking out on one sport for another mid-season. That makes a mockery of contracts."
The former Kiwis captain tempered his fierce criticism by saying that he had yet to hear Williams' side of the story. But as the Bulldog superstar was just one year into a five-year deal worth close to $500,000 per year, it's clear which side he sympathises with.
"Morally, it's wrong what he's doing," McGahan continued, pointing to the serve Williams gave Willie Mason for walking out on the Bulldogs. "My feeling is he's receiving bad advice. It's really disappointing."
If McGahan was feeling let down by virtue of his membership as a dyed-in-the-wool leaguie, it was nothing compared to the reverberations being felt around the Bulldogs Belmore base.
When contacted by the Herald on Sunday yesterday, Bulldogs' media manager Frank Barrett said the club expected Williams to be at training at 8.30am this morning and to line up against the Dragons on Monday night. Williams had missed Friday's training with a gastric complaint, Barrett said. Later in the day the club hierarchy seemed resigned to the worst but chief executive Todd Greenberg was not going down without a fight.
"I've just got off the phone to Sonny's manager Khoder Nasser and he has confirmed to me that Sonny has left the country," Greenberg told reporters. "Quite simply, if Sonny intends to play overseas, we'll be looking to take out an injunction which will effectively stop him playing in France, England or anywhere else he intends to do it."
Greenberg also said that, unlike Mark Gasnier, who recently signed with Stade Francais, Williams has no clause in his contract which might allow him to negotiate elsewhere.
"I've had QCs look at his contract and there is absolutely no get-out clause," the Bulldogs boss told News Limited. "I'm shocked that he's left because I saw him in [the Sydney suburb of] Oatley at 7.30am this morning."
The NRL, who lost star centre Gasnier to Stade Francais last week, albeit in slightly less acrimonious circumstances, is devastated by Williams' actions.
"It is unacceptable to walk out on a contract," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.
"If Sonny Bill Williams has personal issues we will be happy to discuss them with him but we will support the Bulldogs in enforcing their contract and that includes preventing him from playing other than under that contract.
"Certainly the club, his team-mates and the fans are entitled to some explanation for what has happened."
The news has serious ramifications for the Kiwis, too. Coach Stephen Kearney was meeting with fellow selectors Darrell Williams and Tony Kemp yesterday ahead of today's Warriors-Melbourne Storm clash.
Kearney could not be reached last night but New Zealand Rugby League chairman Ray Haffenden summed up the mood in league circles.
"Oh my God," he said when told of Williams' defection.
"What can we do? It's the way things are going at the moment," he said in reference to the money being offered by rugby union clubs in France. "It is something for the international board to debate."
Toulon made an offer to Williams earlier this year and French media reported three weeks ago that he had signed with the big-spending club, coached by Umaga and with the likes of Andrew Mehrtens, Bakkies Botha and George Gregan on their books.
They missed out on Dan Carter, who opted for a sabbatical with Perpignan instead. The French rugby season kicks off soon and players need to be registered in the next fortnight.
While the Bulldogs might be able to mount a successful legal injunction to stop him playing for Toulon, it would be difficult to make him play for the club he clearly wants no part of; the club that gave Williams his debut as an 18-year-old in 2004.
