Sonny Bill meets Wayde van Niekerk

Rio de Janeiro - It is the beginning of a massive couple of weeks for Wayde van Niekerk. 

On Friday he will lead Team South Africa at the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics at Maracana Stadium when takes on board the esteemed honour of being his country's flag bearer. 

Van Niekerk follows Caster Semenya, Natalie du Toit, Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, Hezekiel Sepeng, Masibulele Makepula and Jan Tau as the list of South African flag bearers since 1992. 

The 24-year-old is the favourite to win the 400m next week and he is the current world No 1 in the event. 

If there is anybody left in South Africa who doesn't know who Van Niekerk is yet, they will soon enough. 

On Thursday the speedster met a fan of his ... and it come in the form of a New Zealand legend. 

Sonny Bill Williams took to Twitter to show his admiration for Van Niekerk after the pair met on Thursday. 

Williams is in Rio with the New Zealand Sevens side where he will be looking to win gold of his own.

Meet the 400m world champ today such a humble dude, good luck my South African brother @WaydeDreamer #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/n4hTAVFjHD

— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) August 4, 2016