When you’re parted from your kids it can feel like you’re missing a limb.
And they miss us too – as is clear to see in this video that Sonny Bill Williams shared on Twitter, showing his daughter Aisha’s joyous reaction when he returned home from the Rugby World Cup.
The All Black superstar surprised his middle child, who turns three in December, as she was playing in the lounge beside her baby brother.
Sonny Bill walked in through the front door as if he’d never been away and as she realised who he was, she dropped what she was doing and ran to Sonny, who got down on the floor and scooped her up in a big hug.
“8 weeks & she still remembered me,” he captioned the adorable moment (which you can watch in the player above).
Sonny Bill, 34, has been separated from his family for two months, after departing with the All Blacks for the Rugby World Cup in Japan in September.
His wife Alana brought their eldest child, five-year-old Imaan, over for the knockout stages of the tournament, while their two youngest children remained at home.
Sonny Bill and daughter Imaan after the World Cup third/fourth playoff against Wales – his last game for the All Blacks. Image: Getty
He and the other dads in the All Blacks team made a heartwarming video while they were away, in which they talked about how difficult it was being separated from their children.
In the video Sonny Bill said, “There’s 14 dads in the team now. The beauty of that is that it’s a buffer and decompressor for some of the boys… a lot of our conversations now turn to what the kids are getting up to and how they’re getting on at school.
“It’s a little bit of a change seeing a difference and seeing the growth in the boys is pretty cool. It’s special to be a part of.”
He admits “We get immersed in our work and we’re on the grind,” but being able to pick up the phone and speak to the kids is a “decompressor.”
Watch: All Black dads open up about fatherhood and the difficulty of being away from your kids. Article continues below.
It was while Sonny Bill was in Japan that he also announced that he and his wife Alana were expecting their fourth child.
They welcomed their first child Imaan in November 2014 while Sonny was in Wales on the All Blacks end of year tour. The new father watched the birth via Skype, describing it as “the proudest moment of my life.”
Their second daughter Aisha was born in December 2016 and their son Zaid was born in June 2018.
Their fourth child is looking set for a life in Canada, with Sonny Bill signing a reported $10 million contract to return to rugby league.
The two-year deal with English Super League side the Toronto Wolfpack is said to be the largest contract ever signed by a rugby or league player.
News of the signing came days after Sonny Bill retired from the All Blacks following their third and fourth Rugby World Cup playoff.
Disappointed with not being able to end his All Blacks career on a high, the devout Muslim credited his faith with helping him get over the heartache of not being able to lift the World Cup trophy for a third time.
“I almost felt bad because I could walk around with a smile and genuinely feel it,” Williams told One News of their devastating loss.
“For me, with my faith, I always just try and look at things with that gratitude mindset and having to pray five times a day you always seem to be in that state of mind.”
In an Instagram post after his last game he acknowledged the journey he’d been on with the team.
“Grateful to have worn this (the All Blacks) jersey alongside some legends during the last 10yrs. The biggest blessing tbh is the growth it’s allowed me to do as a man.”
