Sonny Bill Williams was given a second World Cup winners medal after his generous gesture after the final. After a security guard rugby-tackled a 14-year-old boy, the All Black player ran over to help. Instead of getting the 14-year-old off the pitch, he protected him from the security guard and handed over his medal to give the fan something to remember.
When asked about the decision, Williams said that it was better around the neck of a fan than hanging somewhere on a wall. Giving the fan the Rugby World Cup winners medal would mean more than just telling a story. He also said that he did not want the young fan to only have negative memories of the Rugby World Cup 2015 final between New Zealand and Australia, according to The Daily Mail .
The former rugby league player said that he was just doing a lap of honor when he saw the tackle happen. Charlie Line was rushing towards the pitch, caught up in the moment. The security guard acted in the moment, tackling the young fan to the ground. Williams said that the fan only looked between seven and eight, and he just did not think it right for something like that to happen. He went on to say that, if it was a younger brother or cousin, the security guard would have been “given a hiding” for tackling in such a way. Many have come to the security guard’s defense, saying he was acting in the moment and doing his job.
Good to see the young fulla today, ur part of the team now bro pic.twitter.com/51nj8ggIq6
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) November 2, 2015
While Williams believed the boy was about seven or eight, it turned out Line was 14. He has British parents but was born in Singapore and has lived in several different countries. According to CNN , Williams now has a Rugby World Cup winners medal of his own. World Rugby says that it wants all players on a team to go home with a medal. When the All Black substitute gave away his medal, the team looked for a spare one to make sure he could take one home with him. He was given it at the official awards ceremony. There is no chance of him ever regretting the decision now. He tweeted a photo with his new medal and made it clear that he will keep hold of this one.
Thankyou @rugbyworldcup for the gift tonight. pic.twitter.com/UBU6GTG0Vk
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) November 2, 2015
New Zealand is the only team to win the Rugby World Cup three times. The team also broke a number of other records, including being the only team to defend the cup successfully and to be in the final where the most tries were scored. Between New Zealand and Australia, five tries were scored; three of them from the All Blacks. Williams helped to secure a second try within minutes of the second half, when he came on from the bench.
It was a highly intensive match, and it was not clear who was going to win until the very end. While Australia had a tricky start, the team came back in the second half to prove why it was in the Rugby World Cup final. Until the last five minutes, it could have gone either way, but the All Blacks got the final try of the game with Dan Carter, who has now officially retired, securing the conversion.
While much of the focus has been on Sonny Bill Williams, Carter has had his fair share of accomplishments. He is only the second player to get World Rugby Player of the Year three times. It is a deserving send off for the fly half. He was up against a number of great players, including Scotland’s Greg Laidlaw who almost helped his team get through to the semi-finals had it not been for a controversial penalty. Despite this, eyes are on Sonny Bill Williams for his generous act towards the 14-year-old fan.
[Featured photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images ]
