Sonny Bill Williams has lifted the lid on keeping his marriage strong.
The NRL and All Blacks great, 40, has been married to his wife Alana Williams (née Raffie) for 11 years after leaving his hard-partying lifestyle behind to settle down.
Taking to Instagram this week, Williams shared a photo of the couple getting ready for a night out.
The couple looked chuffed to be in each other’s company for a date night, posing with big smiles and cuddling close outside their home.
Sonny also posted a short clip showing the couple at a table with other revellers, the footy star tucking into his meal while Alana watched on.Â
Captioning the sweet post, Sonny revealed the secret behind their decade-long marriage.
Sonny Bill Williams has lifted the lid on keeping his marriage strongÂ
 The NRL and All Blacks great, 40, has been married to his wife Alana Williams (née Raffie) for 11 years after leaving his hard-partying lifestyle behind to settle down
‘One thing we’ve always done and still do is make sure we put time into still dating each other,’ he wrote.
‘Mashallah @lanamarieewilli,’ Sonny added, which is an Arabic phrase that translates to ‘what God has willed.’
Taking a cheeky dig at his eating habits, Sonny added, ‘I know low-key she loves how I eat. Wouldn’t you?’
The post was met with a flurry of comments from friends and followers, including Alana herself, who wrote: ‘Love you, darling. Always sexy.’
One follower added: ‘Beautiful couple. You two are an inspiration,’ while another echoed the sentiment: ‘Making time for each other is the best gift. Mashallah.’
A third summed up: ‘Well deserved my friend Sonny – highly respected family.’Â
Sonny met Alana back in 2013 and, after a four-week whirlwind, the couple married within the tradition of Williams’ Islamic faith.
The couple now share four children – Imaan, 10, Aisha, eight, Zaid, six, Essa, four, and Mohammed, four months.
Sonny also posted a short clip showing the couple at a table with other revellers, the footy star tucking into his meal while Alana watched onÂ
Williams also opened up about the secret to a happy marriage in 2024.
Taking to TikTok, the footy great said that one of the keys to wedded bliss was ‘privacy.’Â
‘One of the secrets to me and my wife’s longevity is shhhh,’ he said, putting his finger to his lips. ‘Privacy.’
Explaining his rationale, Williams said: ‘You and your wife have a massive argument, you both blow a fuse.Â
‘You tell each other where to go and what to do. You run to your close ones and vent. Mum, dad, best friends, even your children.
‘Then 48 hours go by. You’ve kissed and made up, and you’re over it. But you know who still isn’t over it? The people you’ve vented to. And trust me, I’ve been there.
‘Because let’s be honest, that time when you were emotionally venting, you added some salt to the story, didn’t you?’
He then doubled down on the importance of keeping marital problems between the couple.Â
Sonny met Alana back in 2013 and, after a four-week whirlwind, the couple married within the tradition of Williams’ Islamic faith
‘And sure, they’ll nod along when you patch things up, but deep down they’ll hold onto that negative assumption of your partner based on what you’ve told them.
‘Believe me, if you want longevity in your marriage, keep your problems as your problems.
‘Privacy is priceless.’
