By Rowan Birch

On Saturday the 25th August 2012 the All Blacks, the Waikato Chiefs and international rugby lost a legend - but only temporarily.

Earlier this year Sonny Bill Williams announced that he would take a few years sabbatical from New Zealand and eventually union before returning to Aotearoa for the 2015 World Cup.

During his 'vacation', Money Bill Williams will play for Panasonic Wildknights in Japan for a season and will the return to the NRL - probably for the Sydney Roosters.

But the game doesn't need to mourn him, as he will be back. But instead needs to reflect at how he has changed the game.

$BW has created the offloading game - single handedly. At first there was speculation about whether he can actually pass the ball or not, but there was no need for him to pass normally. Why should he when he can pass it out the back, round the side or over the defender - all reverse handed!

He also changed tackling - whether for better or for worse that's the question. At 17st, he's no flyweight (proved with his heavyweight boxing title) and he's an aggressive tackler - whether its legal or not. He shoulder charged and punched, and dumped and scrapped yet was a fans and coaches favourite - no matter what he did!

So yes the game will miss him, and yes some people will be glad to get rid of him, but he'll be back and I'm glad!

What do you think about Rowan's article?