Rugby World Cup star Sonny Bill Williams and his sister Niall (main pix) joined the rare Olympic siblings club Sunday when both were named in the New Zealand Sevens teams for the Rio Games.
Serial code-hopper Sonny Bill, 30, has targeted the Olympics to add to his list of sporting triumphs which include winning two rugby union World Cups with the All Blacks as well as success in rugby league and professional boxing.
His sister Niall, 28, was a New Zealand touch rugby player for several years before switching to the tackle game in 2015.
Sonny Bill — who said before the team announcement that it would be “an amazing achievement” if he and his sister went to Brazil — made himself unavailable for Super Rugby and the June Test series against Wales this year to focus on the Sevens.
Fellow World Cup winning All Black Liam Messam also gave up the 15-man game to focus on Rio, however he missed out on the 12-man squad named on Sunday.
Coach Gordon Tietjens, who has guided New Zealand to 10 World Sevens titles, rated his side as medal contenders despite finishing third in this year’s world series.
“It’s going to be a challenging environment for all of us and all the teams as it’s such a new experience,” he said at the team naming.
“Every player has been selected because they’ve performed well during the Sevens series and in the training camps since then so have earned their position.
“Sevens is very competitive, so it’s important that we perform and if we perform to our potential, we’ll have a really good chance of succeeding in Rio.”
The New Zealand men’s team has been drawn in Pool C with Britain, Kenya and Japan.
The women are in Pool B and play France, Kenya and Spain. – Agence France-Presse
