SAM Burgess has been granted leave by his English rugby union club Bath as he considers a return to rugby league and the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The Daily Telegraph revealed more than a month ago that Burgess had already started to ponder his future in the 15-man game before the World Cup even started.
The BBC has now reported that he will make a decision in the coming days after Bath allowed him time away ahead of their clash with Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership this weekend.
Burgess made a much-publicised switch to union following the Rabbitohs 2014 premiership and is in the first of a three-year deal.
He made his debut for England against France in August and was controversially named in Stuart Lancaster’s England squad for the World Cup, with many critics saying he was not up to the task.
The condemnation grew after England was knocked out during the group stages.
Having played flanker for his club side Bath, the novice Burgess was picked in the centres for England and never looked comfortable during his outings in recent weeks.
South Sydney's Sam Burgess celebrates with brother.
There had been reports that Burgess, who signed a multi-million dollar deal with Bath, has been frustrated in rugby union due to his inability to have as big an influence that he did in rugby league.
Talk increased again last week of a possible return to the NRL after his twin brothers George and Tom signed with the Rabbitohs for a further three years.
Former Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey weighed in on the developments saying he doesn’t think the NRL should help bring him back because it sets a dangerous precedent for other star code-hoppers in the future.
“I think it’s fraught with danger. If you make an exception for one player … one or two players and then that favours a certain club and it [causes] all sorts of drama”, Toovey told Triple M on Thursday morning.
“With Sonny Bill Williams originally, we thought we’d never replace him and along came five or six other players of great quality … no one is irreplaceable”.
Burgess played five Tests for England - including World Cup showdowns with Fiji, Wales and Australia - as well as a one-off appearance for the England Saxons against the Irish Wolfhounds.
He represented Bath in 21 Aviva Premiership games at flanker and inside centre, scoring four tries, as well as four European Cup games.
It looks like it's more than certain he'll be at Souths next year. It will also bolster their pack considerably. Thoughts anyone??
Replies
agree with Toovs
If a club can afford him under their cap, he can come back. But dont pay him extra to get him back because he left and he is replaceable.
Souths will have to pay plenty under the table to Bath for a release, but its good hes coming back, hes great for the game in my opinion, an absolute champion and a great bloke.
Plus his mum is a great sort,that helps.Last Christmas I went for a roadtrip in North NSW.I stopped at a small town inland and north from Coffs Harbour for a coffee at a small cafe.Inside the place was adorned with Rabbitos memorabilia.I got talking to the bloke working there,and he told me of the time the whole Burgess family stopped by.Put simply ,they were a credit to themselves and the game.Friendly,polite and Mrs Burgess has the longest legs he ever saw.It would be great to see big Sam back again.
Id absolutely smash julie just quietly.
Sam was my next door neighbour here when he first came out for a few years, Rusty gave him his Potts terrace to live in, well its divided into 3 levels, Sam had the middle level and hes an absolute champion, often had come in late in the day after training and end up chatting for halfa hour with not much footy talk at all, the type of guy that wants to know all about you and the area, real genuine bloke, his brothers are good fellows too but Sam has a special charm and presence.
Im sure he wouldnt mind me saying id like to get into where he came from :)
Just joking, im sure he would mind lol
I agree with Snake on this. I love Sam Burgess and the other Burgess boys; they are great for Rugby League. Its an impossible dream I know, but what if the Eels could get Sam Burgess? We would be transformed into a real club with some chance of a top four finish. I thought Sam could run backwards and excel in Yawnion. There must be something external that got in Sam`s way.
Article makes it sound like English press thought Burgess was why they failed in WC. Really? More than likely their tactics wrong, the Poms have been playing forward oriented games for years with the backs not included past the halves.
Frankie I came from Coffs and it was fine when I lived there, only deteriorated since you visited for a few hours. Herpes rampant ever since but the brothels did report a big increase in business during your visit.