SAM WILL RETURN
England ace eyes last 8
® from JULIE STOTT
SAM BURGESS would play for England this week if it was the World Cup Final.
That’s the prediction of brother Tom after watching him start his rehabilitation from a knee injury.
Sam damaged medial knee ligaments in England’s 18-4 defeat to Australia last Friday.
News from the national camp has revealed he will miss the next two group games, but might be ready for the quarter-finals.
But prop forward Tom said sibling Sam is so desperate to get back that he’d put his body on the line this week if it was the final.
He said: “He is feeling good and we are hopeful that we can get him back for the semi or even the quarter. If you said the final was this week, he’d be playing.”
South Sydney Rabbitoh star Burgess limped out of the World Cup opener early on and returned to the sideline wearing a knee brace.
Coach Wayne Bennett said: “We are aiming for the quarter-finals with Sam. He’s not too bad, it’s not as serious as it could have been.”
England are bottom of Pool A on points difference from France, who lost their opening game to Lebanon.
They need a big win over Lebanon in Sydney on Saturday to get on a roll that they hope will take them all the way to the final in Brisbane on December 2.
But Tom says they need to be wary of a side that beat France 29-18 and have a number of NRL stars, including hooker Robbie Farah.
He said: “They have got some great players across the board and we are not taking them lightly. I know Robbie well from having a year with him at Souths and he is one of the smartest, if not the best.”
Bennett hopes to use all 24 squad players at some stage and could make some changes this week.
St Helens forward Alex Walmsley will definitely make his debut after missing out against Australia with a virus.
Burgess added: “I was gutted for big Al to miss out last week. It was hard for him and he will be making up for it this week.
“He makes so many metres and is such a handful and I am looking forward to seeing what he can do and putting on a show for the Australian crowd.”