JOHN MITCHELL, on the Vodacom Rugby Portal, explains why Sonny Bill Williams's decision to forgo Super Rugby in 2016 in favour of sevens will be to his benefit.

Sonny Bill Williams has been referred to by some as a mercenary in the modern game, which I find to be extremely harsh.

The New Zealand Rugby Union accepts what he does and he's not breaking any rules, so to call him a mercenary is unfair. For argument’s sake, what’s the difference between trying something different in a sporting realm and going on a sabbatical in order to refresh mentally?

Read the rest of Mitchell's column

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