Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Ex-rugby star Sam’s arrest on road after ‘failing drugs test’
‘Coke in system’ on way to pick up kids
RETIRED England rugby star Sam Burgess has been arrested in Australia after allegedly failing a roadside drug test for cocaine.
Burgess, 32, was pulled over in his BMW X5 in New South Wales on his way to collect his two kids, aged two and four.
After the random drug check he was taken to a police station in Moss Vale, 70 miles from Sydney, for a second test. It has been sent for further analysis.
He has been charged with two offences after being pulled over – driving without a valid licence and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Burgess, who was stopped near the home of his ex-wife Phoebe Hooke, is due in court in Moss Vale in May.
At the same court three weeks ago he was found guilty of intimidation against his ex-wife’s 64-year-old dad. Burgess received a two-year community order over the clash in 2019. The 6ft 4in Yorkshireman, an England rugby league and rugby union international, said after being convicted: “I’m confused with the decision. I will appeal.”
Burgess was a forward for rugby league team Bradford Bulls between 2006 and 2009 before going Down Under and joining the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
He starred as the team, co-owned by actor Russell Crowe, were crowned champions at the Grand Final in 2014.
A shoulder problem forced Burgess to retire in 2019, the same year he became estranged from Phoebe.
After the split, Burgess, who lives mainly in Sydney, got a second home to spend time with his children.
AFTER listening to BBC Radio Ulster for most of last week I am considering launching a petition to get it renamed Covid FM.
I don’t know about you but I sure as hell find it depressing hearing the broadcasters struggle daily as they seek to discover a new variation to an old theme, and it sure ain’t happening.
To be honest, I nearly even miss the endless Brexit discussions at this stage.
At least there was always the prospect of a good political back-stabbing – “Boris for the naughty step” or “Foster whacks May” type thing – to keep us entertained.
By way of contrast, unless some mad genius of a medical scientist comes up with a magic bullet cure – “eureka, I have found it” – Covid is going to drag on.
I have tried to stay away from the virus in this column from day one because, like Talkback and Nolan, I have little new to add to the debate.
But this week I have to bow to the inevitable and charge ahead, and that is thanks to none other than Health Minister Robin Swann who recently announced all carers aged 18 and over can book a vaccination in Northern Ireland.
This raises all sorts of questions.
First things first, let me state I understand totally where the minister is coming from.
Carers were, he said, essential to those they looked after.
If they became ill, the needs and welfare of those they cared for could be at risk.
But, well-intentioned though it may be, this ruling is a bit of a game changer in my opinion.
Prior to the minister’s announcement, the rules had been clear cut.
Recipients of the vaccine were based on a priority rating in terms of age, profession or vulnerability. Simples!
That won’t be the case from here on in. Now if you can convince the nurse with the injection jab that you are a “carer” you are in. So, here’s the obvious question for those out there anxious to get vaccinated: Would you lie to get it?
I ask this after a somewhat cynical friend suggested Minister Swann’s
decision could open the floodgates for people who are prepared, in the famous words of Lord Armstrong, to be “economical with the truth”.
My mucker pointed out there will, surely, be those who care for elderly and infirm relatives daily in a genuine way.
But what about the “Del boys” out there whose “care” consists of ringing up once a week and enquiring, “How you doing, mum?” Will these people be able to queue jump ahead of teachers, police officers, supermarket workers and others in frontline type situations?
To answer my own question, I presume they will. Who is going to stop them?
I again presume there isn’t the staff available to go out and do background checks on each person claiming to be a carer so it’ll be first come, first served.
In regard to the bigger picture, there is massive disparity on the island of Ireland.
Last week I got a text from a friend in Derry – he’s in his mid 50s – and he has got the vaccination but his elderly mum, she’s in her 90s, in Donegal, has not.
There is a lot of upset in the Republic about the slowness of the roll-out.
The last information I saw indicated just 3.4% of the population there had received one dose compared to more than 20% in the North.
And it’s human beings we are dealing with here, real people. As you read this a friend of mine for almost 30 years will be in his grave. He died on Friday night. He got Covid just before Christmas.
The obvious question is, would you lie to get vaccinated?