Sonny Wool facts for kids

Sonny Wool (2008–2020) was a famous sheep from the North Island of New Zealand. He was born around 2008 in Dannevirke. He got his name from the famous All Black rugby player, Sonny Bill Williams. Sonny Wool became very well known because he seemed to predict the winners of the New Zealand national rugby union team's games during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. People often compared his role to Paul the Octopus, who predicted outcomes for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Sonny Wool was owned by Beverley Dowling. His agent, Dan Boyd, created the special way Sonny Wool made his predictions. To predict a game, Sonny Wool was given two boxes of hay. Each box had the flag of a national rugby union team playing in an upcoming match. Whichever box of hay Sonny Wool ate from first was his prediction for the winning team. He correctly predicted all of New Zealand's matches in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. However, his predictions for three other quarter-final games were not correct.

Sonny Wool became so famous that he had his own website, Facebook page, and Twitter account. He even needed security to watch over him because he was so popular!

Sonny Wool's Personality

Dan Boyd, Sonny Wool's manager, said that even as a young lamb, Sonny Wool seemed to know when it was going to rain. His manager also described him as a bit shy around other sheep. He preferred to spend time with people instead.

Sonny Wool's Predictions

Sonny Wool became famous for his predictions during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He correctly predicted every game that the New Zealand team played. This included their matches in the pool stage, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and even the final game!

• He correctly predicted New Zealand would win against Tonga, Japan, France, and Canada in the pool stage.
• He also correctly predicted New Zealand would win their quarter-final game against Argentina.
• His prediction for New Zealand's semi-final match against Australia was also correct.
• Finally, Sonny Wool correctly predicted that New Zealand would win the final game against France.

While he was perfect for New Zealand's games, his predictions for other teams were not always right. For example, he incorrectly predicted the winners of three other quarter-final matches.

See also

• Sheep
• Animals that predict
• Shrek (sheep)