Rugby: Fasting Sonny Bill Williams: 'First week is toughest'

Blues player Sonny Bill Willams during the team training session in preparation for the Lions. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Sonny Bill Williams, a practising Muslim, has spoken of the challenges that fasting during Ramadan presents, saying he gets it relatively easy in New Zealand.

Those following Ramadan, which runs from May 26 until the evening of June 24, which, coincidentally, is the night of the first test between the All Blacks and Lions at Eden Park, don't eat or drink during daylight hours.

For Williams in a New Zealand winter, that's not as bad as it could be despite the fact he continues to train as an elite athlete.

"I find the fasting easiest," he told media today after being named in the Blues team to play the Lions at Eden Park on Wednesday. "It's just when I have to train. Getting through the field-based footy is easy, and I just push back the weights until I break fast.

"But thank God in New Zealand, in this part of the world, we only fast nine hours a day - 10 hours max. In Europe and some parts of the world it's 16-18 hours. That's pretty tough.

"The first week is the toughest, but after that the body starts to get used to it. I just try and do the best I can."

Williams, who has been bracketed in the No12 jersey with TJ Faiane due to a knee issue, but who is almost certain to play, has had a slow start to the season due to Achilles and concussion problems, but showed in his performance in the Blues' draw against the Chiefs recently that he is nearing his best.

He is a certainty to be named in the All Blacks squad in Auckland on Thursday.