Rugby star in trouble for going skiing while injured

Sonny Bill Williams is due to appear for Canterbury Metro this weekend. Photo / Getty Images

The man many believe will be an All Black star at next year's World Cup is too badly injured to play rugby - but he's fit enough to go skiing.

Star signing Sonny Bill Williams, who has yet to play for Canterbury because of knee and hamstring niggles, donned skis on Mt Hutt without getting clearance from his paymasters, a move described as "a bad decision" by All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith.

The trip took place last weekend, on the day Canterbury played Tasman in a fourth-round national provincial championship match at Nelson.

"He needed to get clearance but he didn't do that," a Canterbury Rugby Union spokesman said.

"He's been talked to and reminded of his responsibilities in terms of letting people know what he's doing.

"He's taken that on the chin and realised he's made a mistake."

Smith said Williams' actions shouldn't be taken as showing the 25-year-old lacked professionalism or the desire to play for the All Blacks.

"[But] it's significant enough for people to be asking questions," Smith told Livesport Radio.

"From my point of view, having met him a few times, I think he is serious. It's a fairly major decision to come out here and follow his dream.

"He's a young man and all young men make bad decisions at times. This is simply one of those."

Rugby greats yesterday urged people to cut Williams some slack.

Former All Black coach Alex "Grizz" Wyllie said in his day, injured players would often go back to the slog of fulltime work. "If a guy was working on a farm or manual work ... you didn't tell them they couldn't go to work. Our guys probably didn't have the opportunity to go skiing."

If Williams was able to play this weekend - he resumed training this week and is to appear for Canterbury Metro in a curtain-raiser - "it can't have done him any harm", said Wyllie.

"Let him front up. Let him show us what he's got."

Former All Black and MP Grahame Thorne suspected Williams acted without thinking of the consequences.

"New Zealanders are very forgiving if you produce the goodies."

All Black great Sir Colin Meads said Williams had to be given the opportunity to settle in.

"I thought you didn't go skiing when you were playing rugby because you might get injured skiing. But everyone's different.

"Just give him the opportunity to play, and once he plays, then judge him on how good he is."

NZ Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said professional rugby contracts specified that activities considered risky had to be approved by the NZRU or a provincial union.

Because of his injuries, Williams has had only 50 minutes of club rugby since shifting to Christchurch two months ago.

Smith said the former league star still had a chance to push for a place in the season-ending All Blacks tour to Hong Kong and Britain.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: NZPA