Sonny Bill Williams says the All Blacks have evolved during his decade with the team.
They can now put aside differences including religion and speaking openly about personal struggles is the norm,
“I think the cool thing in the last 12 months is a lot of boys in the team are real, speak their mind, but it’s not always just the picture-perfect things. We talk about the hardships that we face and overcome,” Williams said.
“Obviously for me, I’m a Muslim, Jack Goodhue is a Christian, some boys don’t believe in faith, we all put these differences aside for the betterment of the individual.”
Williams felt that the current state of affairs made the team stronger.
“I think that’s the cool thing that we have in the All Blacks at the moment,” he said.
“For myself, it has probably evolved, you know I’ve been in this team, in and out, for ten years and I don’t know if I could have had the conversations that I probably had today with a couple of the boys ten years ago.
Williams also spoke about how important his faith was in his preparation.
“I’m a religious man, and I believe all my blessings come from the creator,” he said. “I try and live and move in a way where I create space for people to come into my light, and I try to affect people in a positive way.”
Auckland University’s Caleb Marsters and Dr Jermaima Tiatia-Seath have conducted a study into young Pacific Island players and their mental health.
The study shows that shows religion is a crucial factor in the wellbeing of young Pacific men.
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