Multi-code superstar Sonny Bill Williams has opened up connected his infamous messy divorcement from the Bulldogs, and however adjacent person and chap sporting icon Anthony Mundine helped him sever ties and permission the NRL successful 2008.
Williams tells each successful his new autobiography, 'You can't halt the prima from shining', released today.
As reported earlier, Williams reveals however his determination to go Muslim made his narration with galore radical astatine the NRL nine - including a manager - awkward and uncomfortable, making the subordinate angry.
He was besides struggling to temper a caller enactment manner that progressive drugs, intoxicant and women, and yet realised helium had to chopped the cord and instrumentality his vocation elsewhere.
"I thought, 'I've got to get retired of here, marque a implicit break, commencement afresh determination else," Williams writes.
"I was frightened what would happen... radical were starting to speech astir the information that I was keeping institution with Muslims."
Williams asked his agent, Khoder Nasser, to research the enactment of joining a Super League rugby league nine successful either England oregon France.
Coincidentally, though, helium past received a telephone telephone from All Blacks large Tana Umaga, who asked Williams to determination to France and play rugby union.
Williams accepted the connection and, agelong communicative short, it wasn't agelong earlier the quality leaked to media and past the Australian rugby league world.
Williams and Nasser tried to support it a concealed and Williams adjacent threw his telephone away, arsenic helium jumped connected a level and flew to London to hash retired the details of his power to the 15-man code.
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As soon arsenic helium near Sydney, though, the Bulldogs and NRL tried to hunt him down.
"Khoder called and told... that the Bulldogs medication were trying to subpoena maine for breach of contract," helium writes.
"The NRL was besides looking to instrumentality ineligible action. The media were waiting for maine astatine Changi Airport (in Singapore) with a heap of questions."
Williams made it to London but past was told his Samoan passport could not get him to France, truthful helium was stuck successful England.
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"I spent 2 days hiding retired successful London portion the passport occupation was sorted. The media were trying to find me, the feline with the subpoena was supposedly looking for me," helium writes.
Williams spent respective days "holed up successful the attic of a location successful Wimbledon, not daring to spell out".
Williams yet got his visa and passport sorted and past flew to France, but again had to fell retired successful a municipality connected the seashore wherever helium hoped the media, the NRL and the Bulldogs, could not way him down.
But they did.
"The (hotel) manager... told maine to battalion our things due to the fact that the media were connected to us.
"They enactment maine successful the car footwear and covered maine with blankets. Talk astir surviving similar a fugitive successful a spy drama."
Williams and Nasser yet agreed to wage the Bulldogs a colony of $750,000, arsenic good arsenic $200,000 ineligible fees positive astir that again for lawyers successful France.
"I didn't person that benignant of money, truthful Anthony Mundine and immoderate adjacent friends paid it betwixt them," Williams reveals.
"I volition ne'er hide their generosity. Half a cardinal each is large bucks to propulsion astatine a mate."
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