Sonny Wool

Sonny Wool (2008–2020) was a sheep from the North Island of New Zealand.{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/sonny-wool-the-soothsaying-sheep-takes-predictable-role-at-rugby-world-cup/story-e6frg6so-1226133071307 |title='Sonny Wool', the soothsaying sheep, takes predictable role at Rugby World Cup |date=9 September 2011 |agency=AFP |work=The Australian |accessdate=12 November 2011}}{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Paul |date=2020-11-04 |title=Sonny Wool, 'New Zealand's psychic sheep' of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, dies |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300148938/sonny-wool-new-zealands-psychic-sheep-of-the-2011-rugby-world-cup-dies |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=Stuff |language=en}} Born in Dannevirke circa 2008,[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-09/psychic-sheep-tips-all-blacks/2878860 Psychic sheep tips All Blacks – wool they win?], ABC News, 9 September 2011 he was named after All Black Sonny Bill Williams. He became famous after his feeding behaviour was used to correctly predict the winner of each of the New Zealand national rugby union team's matches at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. His role at the 2011 Rugby World Cup was compared to that of Paul the Octopus at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/rugby-world-cup-2011/meet-sonny-wool-match-predicting-sheep-genius-and-rugby-world-cup-2011s-answer-to-paul-the-octopus/story-e6frf4zl-1226133069781 Meet Sonny Wool; match-predicting sheep genius and Rugby World Cup 2011's answer to Paul the Octopus], Fox Sports, 9 September 2011.

Sonny Wool's owner was Beverley Dowling.{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5736825/Sonny-Wools-a-black-sheep-in-the-playoffs |title=Sonny Wool's a black sheep in the playoffs |author=Westbrook, Laura |date=5 October 2011 |work=Stuff.co.nz |accessdate=12 November 2011}} His agent was Dan Boyd, who also designed the sheep's prediction process. The prediction process was designed so that Sonny Wool was presented with two boxes containing feed in the form of hay, each box marked on the outside with the flag of a national rugby union team in a forthcoming match. His choice of which hay to eat first was interpreted as indicating his prediction of a win for the country whose flag was on that box. Selections by the sheep were correct in all of New Zealand's matches in the 2011 Rugby World Cup,[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1110/S00066/its-4-from-4-now-do-or-die-qf-time-for-sonny-wool.htm It’s 4 from 4, Now do or die QF time for Sonny Wool!], scoop.co.nz, 3 October 2011. though predictions for the other three quarter-finals turned out to be incorrect.

Sonny Wool had his own website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. He was reported to be under 24-hour security watch after receiving death threats.[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1110/S00186/sonny-wool-receives-death-threats.htm Sonny Wool receives Death Threats], scoop.co.nz, 13 October 2011.

Personality

According to Dan Boyd, as a lamb, Sonny Wool predicted when it was going to rain. His manager described him as "a bit socially inept" who prefers the company of humans and has "got a few fetishes for things – one is light at night and he really likes rugby balls".[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/newzealand/8791639/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-psychic-sheep-Sonny-Wool-meets-Sonny-Bill-Williams-and-backs-All-Blacks-to-beat-Canada.html Rugby World Cup 2011: psychic sheep Sonny Wool meets Sonny Bill Williams and backs All Blacks to beat Canada], by Giles Mole, The Telegraph, 27 Sep 2011.

Results

=2011 Rugby World Cup=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"
Teams ! Stage ! Date ! Prediction ! Result ! Outcome
{{ ru-rt\|NZL}} vs {{ ru\|TGA}} \| Pool stage \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20110909\|9 September}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| New Zealand[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/sonny-wool-picks-kiwis-to-beat-japan/story-fn9yja2w-1226138762122 Sonny Wool picks Kiwis to beat Japan], Herald Sun, 16 September 2011. \| {{sort\|\|41–10}} \| {{Yes\|Correct}}
{{ ru-rt\|NZL}} vs {{ ru\|JPN}} \| Pool stage \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20100916\|16 September}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| New Zealand \| {{sort\|\|83–7}} \| {{Yes\|Correct}}
{{ ru-rt\|NZL}} vs {{ ru\|FRA}} \| Pool stage \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20100924\|24 September}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| New Zealand{{cite news \|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5673815 \|title=Sonny Wool says no merci \|date=23 September 2011 \|work=The Dominion Post \|accessdate=12 November 2011}} \| {{sort\|\|37–17}} \| {{Yes\|Correct}}
{{ ru-rt\|NZL}} vs {{ ru\|CAN}} \| Pool stage \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20101002\|2 October}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| New Zealand{{cite news \|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5692836/All-Blacks-meet-Wellington-fans-today \|title=Fans flock: When Sonny Wool met Sonny Bill \|author=Migone, Paloma \|date=27 September 2011 \|work=The Dominion Post \|accessdate=12 November 2011}} \| {{sort\|\|79–15}} \| {{Yes\|Correct}}
{{ ru-rt\|IRE}} vs {{ ru\|WAL}} \| Quarter-finals \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20101008\|8 October}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| Ireland[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/8807754/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-Sonny-Wool-the-psychic-sheep-predicts-England-to-beat-France-in-quarter-finals.html Rugby World Cup 2011: Sonny Wool the psychic sheep predicts England to beat France in quarter-finals], by Giles Mole, The Telegraph, 5 October 2011. \| {{sort\|\|10–22}} \| {{No\|Incorrect}}
{{ ru-rt\|ENG}} vs {{ ru\|FRA}} \| Quarter-finals \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20101008\|8 October}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| England \| {{sort\|\|12–19}} \| {{No\|Incorrect}}
{{ ru-rt\|RSA}} vs {{ ru\|AUS}} \| Quarter-finals \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20101009\|9 October}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| South Africa \| {{sort\|\|9–11}} \| {{No\|Incorrect}}
{{ ru-rt\|NZL}} vs {{ ru\|ARG}} \| Quarter-finals \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{sort\|20101009\|9 October}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| New Zealand[http://www.supersport.com/rugby/article.aspx?Id=1065721 Move over Paul, here's Sonny Wool], by Brenden Nel, SuperSport.com, 5 October 2011. \| {{sort\|\|33–10}} \| {{Yes\|Correct}}
{{ ru-rt\|NZL}} vs {{ ru\|AUS}} \| Semi-finals \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{sort\|20101016\|16 October}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| New Zealand{{cite news \|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5785937/Not-so-psychic-Sonny-Wool-picks-Abs \|title=Not-so-pyschic Sonny Wool picks ABs \|author=Westbrook, Laura \|date=14 October 2011 \|work=Stuff.co.nz \|accessdate=12 November 2011}} \| {{sort\|\|20–6}} \| {{Yes\|Correct}}
{{ ru-rt\|NZL}} vs {{ ru\|FRA}} \| Final \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{sort\|20101023\|23 October}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| New Zealand{{cite news \|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5827372/Sonny-Wool-baaacks-black-for-final \|title=Sonny Wool baaacks black for final \|date=21 October 2011 \|work=Stuff.co.nz \|accessdate=12 November 2011}} \| {{sort\|\|8–7}} \| {{Yes\|Correct}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"

Teams

! Stage

! Date

! Prediction

! Result

! Outcome

{{ ru-rt|NZL}} vs {{ ru|TGA}}

| Pool stage

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20110909|9 September}}

| style="text-align:center;"| New Zealand[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/sonny-wool-picks-kiwis-to-beat-japan/story-fn9yja2w-1226138762122 Sonny Wool picks Kiwis to beat Japan], Herald Sun, 16 September 2011.

| {{sort||41–10}}

| {{Yes|Correct}}

{{ ru-rt|NZL}} vs {{ ru|JPN}}

| Pool stage

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20100916|16 September}}

| style="text-align:center;"| New Zealand

| {{sort||83–7}}

| {{Yes|Correct}}

{{ ru-rt|NZL}} vs {{ ru|FRA}}

| Pool stage

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20100924|24 September}}

| style="text-align:center;"| New Zealand{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5673815 |title=Sonny Wool says no merci |date=23 September 2011 |work=The Dominion Post |accessdate=12 November 2011}}

| {{sort||37–17}}

| {{Yes|Correct}}

{{ ru-rt|NZL}} vs {{ ru|CAN}}

| Pool stage

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20101002|2 October}}

| style="text-align:center;"| New Zealand{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5692836/All-Blacks-meet-Wellington-fans-today |title=Fans flock: When Sonny Wool met Sonny Bill |author=Migone, Paloma |date=27 September 2011 |work=The Dominion Post |accessdate=12 November 2011}}

| {{sort||79–15}}

| {{Yes|Correct}}

{{ ru-rt|IRE}} vs {{ ru|WAL}}

| Quarter-finals

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20101008|8 October}}

| style="text-align:center;"| Ireland[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/8807754/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-Sonny-Wool-the-psychic-sheep-predicts-England-to-beat-France-in-quarter-finals.html Rugby World Cup 2011: Sonny Wool the psychic sheep predicts England to beat France in quarter-finals], by Giles Mole, The Telegraph, 5 October 2011.

| {{sort||10–22}}

| {{No|Incorrect}}

{{ ru-rt|ENG}} vs {{ ru|FRA}}

| Quarter-finals

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20101008|8 October}}

| style="text-align:center;"| England

| {{sort||12–19}}

| {{No|Incorrect}}

{{ ru-rt|RSA}} vs {{ ru|AUS}}

| Quarter-finals

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20101009|9 October}}

| style="text-align:center;"| South Africa

| {{sort||9–11}}

| {{No|Incorrect}}

{{ ru-rt|NZL}} vs {{ ru|ARG}}

| Quarter-finals

| style="text-align:center;"| {{sort|20101009|9 October}}

| style="text-align:center;"| New Zealand[http://www.supersport.com/rugby/article.aspx?Id=1065721 Move over Paul, here's Sonny Wool], by Brenden Nel, SuperSport.com, 5 October 2011.

| {{sort||33–10}}

| {{Yes|Correct}}

{{ ru-rt|NZL}} vs {{ ru|AUS}}

| Semi-finals

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|20101016|16 October}}

| style="text-align:center;" | New Zealand{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5785937/Not-so-psychic-Sonny-Wool-picks-Abs |title=Not-so-pyschic Sonny Wool picks ABs |author=Westbrook, Laura |date=14 October 2011 |work=Stuff.co.nz |accessdate=12 November 2011}}

| {{sort||20–6}}

| {{Yes|Correct}}

{{ ru-rt|NZL}} vs {{ ru|FRA}}

| Final

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|20101023|23 October}}

| style="text-align:center;" | New Zealand{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5827372/Sonny-Wool-baaacks-black-for-final |title=Sonny Wool baaacks black for final |date=21 October 2011 |work=Stuff.co.nz |accessdate=12 November 2011}}

| {{sort||8–7}}

| {{Yes|Correct}}