Can union flop Burgess have the final laugh?
IT IS safe to say that Sam Burgess is enjoying this World Cup more than his last one. Tomorrow morning ( UK time), the forward will walk out in the final at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium as England’s rugby league men try to lift the trophy for the first time in 45 years.
Wayne Bennett’s side are a united, well-organised group who have arguably punched above their weight to get to the showcase fixture.
it is all very different from 2015, when Burgess put on the white shirt of England’s rugby union team for a tournament held on home soil which saw an embarrassing elimination before the knockout stages.
The convert — hastily fasttracked into Stuart lancaster’s team following his much-heralded cross- code switch — was made a scapegoat and returned to league not long after.
‘Well, we’ve managed to get out of the group stages,’ said a relaxed Burgess with a laugh when asked to list the differences between now and then. ‘ That always helps, doesn’t it?’
But there is more for the 28- year- old, who had not played union before his switch from South Sydney rabbitohs to Bath a year ahead of that ill-fated World Cup.
‘We’re in australia, travelling and enjoying each other’s company,’ he added. ‘There’s nobody trying to secure sponsorship deals away from it. Everyone’s here to do their best — it’s as pure as that.’
His answer speaks volumes about an unhappy 2015 camp, which included plenty of finger-pointing and a kitman sacked for passing on tips for shares which subsequently crashed.
Burgess said: ‘if you ask a few players what it’s like in a rugby union World Cup, it might be a different story to what we have here. if some say it’s not, they’re probably telling a few lies. We have 24 blokes and staff here for one reason only.’
old wounds were reopened earlier this month when former RFU director rob andrew claimed Burgess’s selection had ‘a negative effect’ on England. The man himself, who started his league career at Bradford before moving to australia, took to social media to state his belief that andrew should call him. Has the phone rung?
‘No, it hasn’t!’ said Burgess, laughing again. ‘ i’m not expecting one. it’s all right.’
You might think that Burgess could use the union saga as motivation. Far from it. ‘it’s completely irrelevant,’ he said. ‘i don’t need any extra motivation.’
That is easy to understand. Burgess has more on his mind. England go into the game as huge underdogs against the fearsome australians seeking to end that long barren run. it is something Burgess managed to do with South Sydney, who he led to a 2014 championship, their first in 43 years.
‘it’s all there to be broken, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘We have to understand what it’s going to take. australia have been in great form but we’re not here to make up the numbers. We have to go out and believe.’
When the national anthems are sung, Burgess will be next to his brother and team-mate Tom. Both men may have family on their minds. in 2007, they lost their father at the age of 45 through motor neurone disease.
‘i’ve had a few thoughts of him this week,’ said Sam. ‘The way it’s unfolded, the way we got here, he’d be proud to see us represent England.
‘Wherever he is i’m sure he’ll be enjoying the night as much as we are.’