Prior to this bout at the swanky new Claudelands Arena in Hamilton, SBW was of course, an NRL Grand Final winner with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2004 and a Rugby World Cup winner with the All Blacks in 2011. Now SBW can add the somewhat "illustrious" title of Heavyweight Champion of New Zealand.
So who are these other all-rounders? Here are 9 others in that company SBW has joined.
One of the greatest college athletes ever, Michigan Wolverine Henson was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1998 amateur draft in the 3rd round and played for them between 2002 to 2003 before retiring from the sport in 2004 to have a go at the NFL. He started the Thanksgiving game for the Dallas Cowboys before being taken off ignominiously at half-time. He never recovered, playing for the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions before bowing to his hammies and leaving pro sport altogether. He's now a pundit and is often considered the "7th" quarterback that Tom Brady was rated behind.
Goldie Jeff Wilson was an All Black legend playing at fullback and wing with equal aplomb. Images of him throwing up on the sidelines during the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final will long live in the memory of the nation. But before and after his rugby exploits with Otago and New Zealand, Goldie actually played for the New Zealand cricket team, making his international debut against Australia as a fast-bowling all-rounder in the 1992/93 season, and playing against Australia in his return over 10 years later in the 2004/05 season. Goldie was coach of the North Harbour rugby team before being sacked in 2011.
Bates is the current White Ferns captain but also represented the New Zealand womens' basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She is a prolific run scorer in the shorter forms of cricket.
Perry has featured here before on my top 10 hottest women athletes in the world at the moment and as I mentioned there, Perry is highly talented, currently representing Australia in football and cricket. She gave up featuring in Canberra's successful W-League run to play for the womens' cricket team in their recent Rose Bowl series against New Zealand - they also won that. While Perry will eventually have to pick a sport to focus on, there is no doubt she is one of Australia's most highly talented emerging athletes.
McKechnie was not only a Double All Black but he was also at the centre of two New Zealand's most controversial sporting moments - and both times he just happened to be there. In 1978, McKechnie kicked the winning penalty goal against Wales; legend has it that the penalty was awarded as a result of Andy Haden's dive in the lineout although the referee later clarified that incident was unrelated. 3 years later, McKechnie was the New Zealand batsman at the crease facing Aussie Trevor Chappell's underarm delivery at the MCG. That's why he's further up the list.
Rob Waddell has got to be one of the world's most successful allrounders and certainly one of New Zealand's greatest athletes. He has an Olympic gold medal from the 2000 Olympics in Sydney as a result of his efforts in the single sculls. He also featured for Team New Zealand in their America's Cup exploits in 2003 and 2007 as a grinder - a year before making his amazing comeback to rowing in 2008 and played a few NPC games for Waikato at lock in the late 90s. All this with a heart condition that was diagnosed later in his rowing career.
Ah Deion. Probably one of the most successful allrounders ever. Double Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, Deion Sanders also featured in baseball's World Series for the Atlanta Braves in 1992 - unfortunately the Blue Jays won that series 4-2. His baseball career ended in 2001 but Deion was lured out of retirement to play for the Baltimore Ravens for two seasons in 2004-05. Sanders' NFL career was far more illustrious with player accolades but Sanders was equally respected in the MLB - not bad given how professional both leagues are. Now a pundit on the NFL Network and considered one of the jokers in the pack.
The greatest allrounder ever? Bo Jackson is the only player to be named All-Star player in both the MLB and NFL. He won the 1985 Heisman Trophy as running back for Auburn and went on to play for the Los Angeles Raiders as backup to legend Marcus Allen. He also featured in the MLB mostly for the Kansas City Royals as an outfielder/designated hitter and made the All-Star game in 1989, and was voted MVP in that game. His all-round exploits made him a marketing dream and earned him millions courtesy of Nike. Not a bad effort for a true sportsman.
Eat your heart out, Sonny.. nice work..
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