Sam Burgess Coming Back To Rugby League

SAM Burgess’s brother Tom says the former South Sydney captain has been pushed back to rugby league by “unfair” treatment of his efforts for England’s thwarted Rugby World Cup campaign.

Tom and twin brother George recently signed new contracts which will keep them at the club until the end of 2018 while older brother Luke plays for another Sydney club, Manly Sea Eagles, and their mother Julie lives in Sydney after emigrating to Australia four years ago.

Bath head coach Mike Ford said Burgess “didn’t quite feel right” at practice.

But Ford admitted there’s still a possibility he could be selected for this weekend’s match if a deal is not finalised for his return to Souths before then.

“Clearly South Sydney would be favourites but if that proves hard, certainly for 2016”, Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington told Press Association Sport.

Leeds have publicly expressed interest in signing Burgess.

England were determined to take the 26-year-old to the World Cup, dropping the more established Northampton centre Luther Burrell to fast track a player who they felt offered leadership and big-game experience.

Sam wanted to come in and the plan was for him to start the first two games off the bench and then start the next two.

“We’ve made that known to Bath and Sam is aware of that as well”.

“Sam’s frame of mind since he’s come back has been brilliant”.

“I have been consistent in saying it is unlikely Leeds Rhinos would take advantage of the marquee player ruling”, said Hetherington.

“Any Super League club or NRL would be interested in a player like Sam”.

“I think it also helped the players in that team get to know him and accept Sam is a great player and a good bloke”.

Burgess joined Souths from Bradford Bulls in 2010 and younger brothers Thomas and George remain on the books there.

The NRL have told Souths a transfer fee paid to Bath for Burgess would not count on their salary cap.

Burgess started the loss to Wales and made replacement appearances against Fiji and Australia as England’s ill-fated World Cup unravelled spectacularly, ending in failure to progress from the group stage for the first time.

Ford, who played league for Castleford and had a spell as player-coach at Bramley, says he is unaware of interest from Leeds.