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Islam Gave Me Happiness: NZ Rugby Star

WELLINGTON โ€“ Preparing for world cup, a New Zealand rugby Muslim star has said that Islam has made him a new man after a successful spell playing union where he won the World Cup with the All Blacks.

โ€œI wouldnโ€™t be half the man I am today without my faith,โ€ New Zealandโ€™s Sonny Bill Williams said in a BBC video.

Four years in union, including a World Cup win, six professional victories as a boxer, Williamโ€™s conversion to Islam have seen him return to league a new man.

โ€œI think Iโ€™ve become a better person. When I play, I play well,โ€ Williams said.

โ€œI get a lot of love, a lot of respect,โ€ he added.

New Zealand are looking to retain the title they won in 2008, with Williams seeking to become the first player to win a World Cup in both codes of the game.

Born in 1985, Williams a top-notch rugby star in New Zealand.

He reverted to Islam in 2008 after attending prayer services at a Sydney mosque.

The superstar is the first Muslim to play for the All Blacks rugby team.

Williamsโ€™ younger sister Niall Williams is a New Zealand international touch football player, and won gold at the Youth World Cup in 2005 and silver at the 2011 Touch Football World Cup.

โ€œIslam has given me happiness. I donโ€™t go around preaching or anything. It is like something thatโ€™s just with me,โ€ Williams said in another video posted on YouTube.

โ€œWhat it has done for me on my inside I canโ€™t really explain. But obviously itโ€™s helped with my footy, cause I donโ€™t drink or anything like that anymore and I try to live a lot cleaner lifestyle and things like that, but essentially itโ€™s just made me a lot happier.โ€

Role Model

Turning from leagueโ€™s most hated player, New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney said that international rugby league fans will see a new player.

โ€œHeโ€™s been fantastic. Heโ€™s been really good,โ€ Kearney said of the 28-year-old, who won the NRL with the Sydney Roosters, told 3News website.

โ€œHeโ€™s light years away from where he has. He was always a special talent but heโ€™s five years on, wiser and more mature. Heโ€™s different.

โ€œHe has got to know himself. Heโ€™s measured himself, heโ€™s grown and is a man now. We all need time to do that. At the time he was a 22-year-old, a big fish in the pond and some of us donโ€™t handle that.โ€

The south-pacific island country of New Zealand is home to 36,000 Muslims, according to the 2006 census.