The Sonny Bill Williams Defection: What League Lost

The sporting media have been in a frenzy this week over news that star New Zealand and Canterbury Bulldogs forward Sonny Bill Williams has abandoned rugby league without warning to join French rugby union club Toulon. Armchair Playmaker discussed this year's surge in code-jumping league players earlier this month, but Williams' change of venue tops all because Williams has left rugby league in mid-season with more than three years left on his contract with the Bulldogs.

Because Williams is walking away from his contract, the Bulldogs and NRL are pursuing legal recourse, while Williams's camp is considering a legal challenge to the NRL's salary cap. The outcome of the debacle will have implications for both the current episode and future events, but for now we'll just give you a look at why Sonny Bill is worth all the trouble. Below is a series of clips from the recent test between Australia and New Zealand, held 9 May to honor the 100-year anniversary of rugby league in Oceania: