Rugby: Chiefs in hunt for SBW

Sonny Bill Williams. Photo / Supplied

The Chiefs are in the chase for the prized signature of Sonny Bill Williams as they look to replenish their stocks before Dave Rennie takes over next season.

The league convert-cum-boxer is off-contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union at the end of the World Cup and his future is undecided, though the indications are promising that he will stay in the 15-man code.

Neil Sorensen confessed last week that Williams was taking up most of NZRU contracts manager Chris Lendrum's time as they look to put together a multi-faceted package that would satisfy the athlete's urge to dabble in the sweet science.

The Chiefs, who have also been linked to Hurricanes' discard Ma'a Nonu, are in desperate need of some backline punch in 2012, with All Blacks Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Stephen Donald all coming off the books and doubts whether Tana Umaga will play another season.

Utility back Dwayne Sweeney will play his rugby in Japan next year.

The four overseas departures alone clears more than $650,000 off the Chiefs' books, giving them the ability to chase a couple of stars.

Chiefs' CEO Gary Dawson would not say which players they had specifically targeted, but the Herald understands the franchise has made a pitch to Williams' manager Khoder Nasser.

That pitch would have likely included Tana Umaga, who played a big role in luring Williams to rugby when he was coach of Toulon.

"Obviously with a new coach, he'll be looking at what his priorities are in terms of the entire playing roster," Dawson said.

"We'll get some clarity in the next short while where the priorities are. Based on that we'll decide what offers to make to particular players."

Dawson was aware of the speculation linking the Chiefs to high-profile players, but said it was too early to be confident or otherwise of getting their targets.

With crowds having dropped off markedly at Waikato Stadium, the Chiefs are in need of a posteriors-on-seat name and outside of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, they don't get any bigger at present than SBW.

"That [crowd-pulling factor] is important," Dawson said. "Crowds are normally related to the performance of the team, the weather and the opposition, but [big-names] play a role too."

Getting Williams away from the Crusaders will be tough. He might have grown up in Auckland and learned the ropes of professional sport in Sydney, but Williams is fully aware that Canterbury and the Crusaders have played an invaluable part in his rugby education.

With the two All Black second five-eighths on the market, the signing of either one could set off a chain reaction.

The franchises have a salary budget set for them by the NZRU based on historical spend. They have the ability to pay players up to $180,000, with the NZRU topping up the All Blacks' pay-packets.

The destinations of Williams and Nonu are the most anticipated, but with the likes of Cory Jane, Piri Weepu, Hosea Gear and Andy Ellis yet to decide their futures, there is plenty for the five chief executives to mull over.

The Blues will try to lure Nonu north, especially with centre Jared Payne and utility Luke McAlister leaving. While Blues CEO Andy Dalton played his cards close to his chest, he said: "The Hurricanes players who have been released are quality players. There will be quite a bit of interest in them."

Dalton said that with three players - Joe Rokocoko, John Afoa and Payne - coming off their books (McAlister has not yet made his decision to go to Toulouse official), they had some room to pursue players, but so did most teams.

"There's been a lot of activity in the past couple of months," Dalton said. "There are players who are going to have plenty of choices."

With the element of central control and the fact they can only offer the same amount of money, the franchises need to make good playing cases to encourage movement.

"Players would naturally look at the others who would be around them, the coaching and the training facilities.

Dalton said the Blues' facilities were not up to scratch for a professional environment, something that would be rectified in the coming years, but the other two parts to the puzzle made the Blues an attractive option.

Dawson agreed that coaching, playing opportunities and the "culture of the Chiefs" were big factors in trying to tempt players from other franchises.

* dylan.cleaver@nzherald.co.nz