On this day in 2015: Sam Burgess ends brief rugby union stint
The cross-code convert played at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.
Sam Burgess’ unhappy spell in rugby union came to an end on this day in 2015.
Burgess returned to rugby league club South Sydney Rabbitohs despite having two years left on a three-year deal with Premiership side Bath.
The cross-code convert had joined Bath just over a year earlier with the 2015 Rugby World Cup very much on his mind.
Dewsbury-born Burgess made his England debut in a World Cup warm-up match against France and was selected for the tournament ahead of the likes of Northampton centre Luther Burrell.
But England’s home World Cup turned into a huge disappointment as defeats to Australia and Wales saw them exit at the pool stage – the worst result for a host nation in the tournament’s history.
Burgess was a replacement for the opening win over Fiji, started the defeat by Wales, came off the bench for the last 15 minutes of the Australia loss and was dropped from the squad for the final game against Uruguay.
Burgess signed a three-year deal with the Rabbitohs and it was reported that he became the NRL’s highest-paid player with an annual salary worth £700,000.
He captained England in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup final defeat to Australia and was named in the NRL team of the decade in the seasons spanning 2010 and 2019.
Burgess was forced into early retirement in October 2019 by a chronic shoulder injury.
