So Sonny Bill Williams is potentially courting controversy again by refusing to wear a sponsor’s logo.

Of course, it isn’t the first time he’s done it. The last time was 3 years ago with the BNZ logo on the Blues jersey which he covered with tape.

This time it’s the logo of a UK gambling company, Betfred, which is supposed to feature on the jersey he’ll wear with his new squad, the Toronto Wolfpack.

I know this will probably wind people up, just like it did with the BNZ logo.

But I reckon it’s fair enough.

SBW should be allowed to say no to sponsors he can’t support on religious grounds.

We all know SBW is a committed Muslim and we all know that his religion has a problem with things like gambling. And as long as his club knew in advance and he’s not breaking any contracts, I can’t really see why he should be forced to wear that logo.

I’m guessing that his club must’ve known, seeing as they’re dealing with this issue before he’s even played a game for them.

Of course, you’d have to consider the sponsor in all of this. I mean, they’ve paid good money for that spot on all the players’ jerseys, including the jersey of the most famous player in that squad.

But actually, this publicity might be great for the sponsor. Those logos nowadays, especially on really busy jerseys just get crowded out.

• Sonny Bill Williams to refuse to wear logo due to religious beliefs

But what SBW has done has draw attention directly to Betfred? But really that’s not what winds people up. No one really cares about the sponsor.

The real reason people get wound up is because SBW is getting special treatment. He’s part of a team but he’s asking to be treated differently from everyone on the team. 

Welll, truth is he is the star. Stars get special treatment. He’s worth $5 million a year to that club.

The sponsor, well, what it pays to be on every single sleeve might just cover half his pay, so it’s pretty clear who’s more important.

But really, giving SBW special treatment is a no brainer. Everyone is a winner. The club, because they keep him. The sponsor because of the extra publicity. And SBW, because he gets to stay true to his religion. It works for everyone.