Burgess Returns to NRL

Beating a below-strength Kiwi team might not be too much upon which to base a claim of global prowess, but when you have not got the better of southern hemisphere rivals since 2007, it will do to be going on with.

“Obviously he will be a great addition to us moving forward – to have a player of that ability available to play for England is great for us”.

Following an ill-fated switch to rugby union at the end of 2014, Burgess says he’s delighted to reunite with the Rabbitohs for the 2016 NRL season and beyond.

“He’s still been mixing it in rugby and those rucks and mauls have a lot of physicality about them”. I’m gutted and disappointed because he could have been a very good rugby union player. Those old boys from the English rugby media were quick to put the boot in to the man from the ‘Northern game.

At the top of the list will be England’s coaching team who fast-tracked him into their World Cup squad despite a lack of evidence that he was ready for the global stage.

McNamara, who gave Burgess his Super League debut as a teenager with Bradford in 2006, expressed his delight over his return to the 13-man code after a brief flirtation in rugby union with Bath and England.

Each of his five caps for England will have earned him a £15,000 match fee from the RFU and he will also have picked up £38,332 from the £1.19m World Cup bonus distributed amongst Stuart Lancaster’s squad.

Burgess will leave English Premiership club Bath with immediate effect in order to return to the NRL.

“He’s obviously been under extreme pressure, but Sam was never a consideration for this series- right up until this point today – when we found out he’s coming back to rugby league. Sam Burgess”, Maguire said.

“Our national team should play in the capital. He appreciates the support”.

“Sorry for Burgess and steaming with anger at whoever thought it would be a good idea to persuade him he could be a World Cup-standard centre eight months after switching over from rugby league”.

“We’ll have to wait and see”, said Maguire when asked about Burgess’ “rugby” physique.

“I spoke to him this morning because the story had just broken in the United Kingdom”, Lee said.

“When he came over, I don’t think either Bath or England knew what his best position was”. He’s played [rugby league] for a long time and he’s professional in that area.

Carling wrote on Twitter: “So @SamBurgess8 has left Rugby Union. As I said he’s a player any coach wants in their team”.

The news comes less than 24 hours after Bath owner Bruce Craig stated that Burgess, who played for England at the rugby union World Cup, would be seeing out the remainder of his contract.

England are hoping a few gold dust from double Olympic champion Daley Thompson will rub off on them as they go for glory against New Zealand.

“He told us he’d be gone for two years”, Canavan said.