Sonny Bill Williams

Williams, counting down his final days in mandatory quarantine in a Sydney apartment before joining his Roosters teammates, said it was hard to believe he was on the verge of an NRL comeback.

The 35-year-old former All Blacks and Roosters premiership player has signed a short-term NRL deal.

His return to the NRL comes after a stint with Toronto was cut short because of the pandemic that has forced the Wolfpack to withdraw from the remainder of the 2020 Super League season.

Williams hasn't played in the NRL since 2014 but is returning to the Sydney Roosters with his Canadian club Toronto Wolfpack pulling out of the Super League due to COVID-19.

Williams, who turns 35 next week, has told Nine News he had booked flights to go on a European family holiday before the Roosters came calling with their two to three month deal reportedly worth $150 thousand.

The Toronto team has withdrawn from the August restart of Super League Europe due to financial challenges from the Covid-19 outbreak, leaving marquee recruit Williams free to find a club in the NRL.

The reigning champion Sydney Roosters, who Williams helped to the title in 2013, are likely to be first in the queue having lost a couple of key players to injury since the league resumed at the end of May.

Warriors chief executive Cameron George, though, said his side would also be interested in bringing the 34-year-old former Kiwis forward to the Auckland-based club.

Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan, when they fast during daylight hours - staying away from food and drink for 18 hours.

Williams who's now back playing rugby league for the Toronto Wolfpack side in the English super league competition says during Ramadan in previous years he's had to head to training but the lockdown has meant he has got to stay at home and spend the time with his family - perfecting his baking skills.

"If you want chocolate chip ANZAC biscuits 'I'm your man'," he told the BBC

Tyson, 53, had been offered $3 million to fight Williams but the Daily Mail says Tyson was unimpressed when promoters floated the idea, saying if he got back into the ring it would be with a real boxer not a rugby player.

Tyson's management had been negotiating with Australian promoters to take part in a multi-million dollar charity bout in Melbourne next year.

Williams, who has had seven fights as a professional for seven wins has said he was willing to get into the ring with Tyson despite his limited boxing experience.

Williams became league’s highest paid player when he joined the Super League club on a two-year contract worth $10m, but with sport worldwide struggling from the impact of the pandemic, he would readily do his part to help the game financially.

“100 per cent, I would be that way inclined,” Williams told the UK’s Sky Sports News when asked about a pay cut.

“When it comes to taking pay cuts, to keep the game afloat, it would be crazy not to think that’s going to occur, especially with the way things are happening in the sporting world.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that promoter Paul Langi Kinikini wants to cough up the cash to bring the two mega stars to Utah.

The city has a large Tonga population and if it gets approved by international chiefs would be played in Salt Lake City.

League authorities would be wise to examine the fallout from the Kiwis vs England Test in Denver in 2018, which saw both the New Zealand and English federations out of pocket following Jason Moore’s failed event.

But Kinikini told The Sydney Morning Herald he didn’t have an issue with paying the cash up front.

Williams had returned home for the birth of he and wife Alana's fourth child. He left again today, as news emerged from Australia of his next bout.

Hall rebuffed a potential rematch with former Cronulla Sharks skipper Paul Gallen in favour of fighting Williams.

Hall's eyeing off a super fight with Williams once the English Super League season comes to an end. Williams is playing his first season with the Toronto Wolfpack in the Super League.

The New Zealand great, who began his professional rugby career with the Canterbury Bulldogs, switched codes again last year when he left the Blues to join Toronto ahead of their inaugural Super League season.

Twice a World Cup winner with the All Blacks, Williams was unable to help the Wolfpack avoid a 28-10 defeat to Castleford Tigers in their opening match of 2020.

Toronto – only formed four years ago – marked their debut in the top flight by scoring an early try, Liam Kay getting on the end of a grubber kick in the first of two games played at Headingley on Sunday.

Williams was on the bench at that stage and the New Zealander, who last played in the 13-man code in 2014, endured an inauspicious start following his introduction to proceedings, knocking on with his first touch.

Castleford recovered quickly after falling behind, Greg Eden, Grant Millington, Adam Milner and Michael Shenton all scoring tries before the break.