After playing in three world cup finals across two codes of rugby, winning several club titles and becoming a heavyweight boxing champions, All Black Sonny Bill Williams could be forgiven for feeling somewhat blasé after New Zealand's World Cup win over Australia on Saturday, which may explain his decision to hand his winner's medal to a young fan.
The centre's gesture, handing his medal to the youngster after he had been bundled to the ground by security as he tried to join the players on their lap of honour, became a viral hit online as fans shared video of the moment.
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However, it seems that the young fan was not an eight-year-old Kiwi, as Williams appeared to believe, but teenager Charlie Line, whose parents are British and who was born in Singapore. He attends the prestigious Millfield boarding school in Somerset, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Talking about the incident afterwards, Williams said that he took pity on the youngster after he was "smoked" by security when he rushed out onto the field as the All Blacks walked past.
"He was only eight and the other fella was a full-on man, so it looked like he would break his ribs or something," said Williams. "But I just picked the kid up and took him back to his old lady and tried to make the night more memorable for him. The way he got round the security guard he could be a future All Black in the making."
That seems unlikely given Line's background and parentage. But Line can at least claim to be the only player in the northern hemisphere with a World Cup winner's medal. And England will be grateful if it inspires him to don the all-white England kit.
As for Williams, he was awarded a new medal to replace the one he gave to Line, reports website Stuff.co.nz. He was given the second medal at a "glitzy awards night".
Fellow All Black Dan Carter, the star of Saturday's 34-17 final win against Australia, was named world player of the year and New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw proudly paraded the Webb Ellis Cup.
