Sam Burgess is returning to league after a short stint with the England rugby union team.
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Code-hopping Sam Burgess has jumped again, rejoining South Sydney in Australia’s National Rugby League competition just weeks after playing for England in the rival 15-man code’s World Cup.
Looking at the World Cup role handed to Burgess, Wilkin said: “I was one of those guys who thought he probably wasn’t ready, and in fact he wasn’t ready”. It appears that the vitriol directed at him has looked to have pushed him away from the sport.
The 26-year-old returns to rugby league after one year in rugby union. “I can not wait to get back into the Rabbitohs’ culture, full of great people and passionate members and supporters”.
“I could not be happier to see Sam coming home to the Rabbitohs”, Maguire said in a statement.
“We wanted him on the field as a ball carrier and a tackler, that’s what he did and it worked for us the way we played”.
Family reasons were at the heart of the dual code international’s desire to leave as his twin brothers George and Tom play for the Rabbitohs and his older brother Luke plays for Manly Sea Eagles, while his mother Julie also lives in Sydney, the city where he is due to marry his fiancée Phoebe next month.
Lee has claimed Burgess contacted Souths coach Michael Maguire via text message around 8am the next day during the NRL Grand Final in Sydney, just hours after the crushing 33-13 defeat by Australia in which Burgess came on as a 65th-minute replacement.
“No-one can change my mind that Sam Burgess is a back-row player – that’s who he is”, Ford added via BBC Radio 5 Live.
Craig also suggested Burgess, who was at the heart of England coach Stuart Lancaster’s most contentious selection issues before and during the 2015 World Cup, was called up to the global side too soon and should not have been deployed as a centre.
Bath coach Mike Ford also insisted last week that Burgess was staying at the Recreation Ground.
Remember, Sonny Bill Williams spent two years at Toulon under Tana Umaga to learn about rugby and even when he came back to New Zealand he needed time at ITM Cup and Super Rugby level to understand the game. “Everyone has put two and two together, seen him sitting next to (England rugby league coach) Steve McNamara watching his brother play rugby league”.
Crowe played a role in Burgess’ return, Lee said.
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Former club South Sydney Rabbitohs are the favourites to sign him although there were reports Leeds Rhinos could offer him a deal.
