Seven great sporting dads

Sonny Bill Williams became a father overnight, and chances are he will be a great one.

From rugby league, to rugby to boxing, he's been great at pretty much everything else he has attempted, so why not fatherhood?

Public opinion remains divided about whether he - and new All Blacks father Charlie Faumuina - should remain on tour with the New Zealand side or return home to be with their wives, but one thing can't be disputed; his new baby girl has a pretty impressive dad.

There have been plenty of famous sporting fathers in history, and below we list seven of the most well-known.

Sid Adams

Sid Adams was the father of double Olympic gold medallist and four-time world champion shot-putter Valerie and Oklahoma City Thunder NBA star Steven.
Born and raised in Bristol, England, Sid settled in New Zealand after serving in the Royal Navy.

In 2007, at 76 years of age, he passed away at his Rotorua home, having fathered 18 children to five different women.

Braeden Whitelock

New Zealand rugby owe a large debt to Braeden Whitelock, father of All Blacks trio Sam, George and Luke, and Canterbury Crusader Adam.

Braeden was a former Junior All Black, while mum Caroline, daughter of 1950s All Black Nelson Dalzell, obviously deserves some credit for the family's strong lineage.

Archie Manning

Former NFL quarterback Archie and his wife Olivia gave birth to three sons, Cooper, Peyton and Eli, the latter two going on to win Super Bowls and Super Bowl MVP trophies.
Archie himself was a Pro Bowler but his boys have gone on to surpass dad's accomplishments.

(L-R) Peyton Manning, Archie Manning, and Eli Manning

Dale Earnhardt Sr

Dale Earnhardt was rated by many to be the greatest NASCAR driver in history, and his son Dale Jr continues his legacy in the sport today.

Known as 'The Intimidator' for his aggressive driving, Dale claimed seven Winston Cup Championships before he died in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500.
Dale's own father, Ralph Earnhardt, was also a well-known racecar driver.

Muhammad Ali

The greatest heavyweight boxer of all time is father to seven girls Laila, Maryum, Rasheda, Miya, Hana, Jamillah, Khaliah, and two sons, Asaad and Muhammad Jr.
Widely regarded for his boxing skills and his strong values regarding religious freedom and racial justice, Ali is one of the most recognised sports figures of the past 100 years.
Laila followed her father's footsteps into the ring and established her own reputation as a boxing champion and television personality.

She retired in 2007 with a 24 and 0 record, including 21 knockouts and three decisions.

Lance Cairns

Lance Cairns is a former New Zealand cricket all-rounder and father of national cricket representative Chris Cairns.

He was a member of both New Zealand's one-day and test teams between 1974 and 1985 and also played domestic cricket for Central Districts, Northern Districts and Otago. He was also the professional for Bishop Auckland in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League in the North East of England.

- Herald Online