A BRIT SPECIAL Greg plants seeds for GP return
English talent to steal show in NRL showdown
GREG HANCOCK is planning a full-time return to the track next year.
And he’s banking on being offered one of the four seeded spots in next season’s world title hunt.
The veteran American, who will be 50 next June, met Grand Prix bosses at Cardiff over the weekend.
And he told them he has no plans on hanging up his steel shoe, despite
SAM BURGESS is relishing a ‘Battle of Britain’ in Friday’s NRL play-offs clash between Canberra and South Sydney.
He will be one of six Englishmen to take the field in a sell-out showdown to determine who makes the Grand Final, with England coach Wayne Bennett also in charge of the Rabbitohs.
Sam and brothers Tom and George will face a Raiders side including John Bateman, Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead, while Ryan Sutton is on standby.
All seven could feature in Bennett’s Lions squad this autumn.
Sam Burgess said: “It’s a great moment for the game, for the NRL, to have seven players and the English coach in this match.
“It’s great testament to the players that the English game produces.
“I’m so proud of the way they’ve gone about their business down there in Canberra.
“It’s no secret why they’ve done well. I know what the English boys will bring – they’ll compete hard and are always in the game until the last minute.
“They’re all great mates, passionate and good people. I’m really looking forward to it.
“But this week we’re against each other, so it’s business as usual for us and they’ll be doing the same.”
This time four years ago Burgess was controversially lining up for England in the rugby union World Cup, only to switch codes again
SPEEDWAY
taking off the whole of this year.
He withdrew from all racing after his wife Jennie was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy in America.
But he is almost certain to be offered one of the wild card spots for 2020 and, as long as he feels he following a disastrous campaign on home soil under then boss Stuart Lancaster.
But since his return to rugby league he has reinforced his reputation as one of the sport’s fiercest forwards.
His clash with fellow Bradford Bulls academy graduate Bateman, who has taken the NRL by storm in his first season, is eagerly anticipated in Australia.
Burgess said: “John didn’t play last time. It will be good to go up against him for the first time.
“We came through the same system at Bradford and he’s been a revelation this year.”
Burgess also has extra motivation to repeat his iconic 2014 Grand Final win with Souths when he played the whole game with a shattered cheekbone.
Younger brother George,
27, leaves the Rabbitohs at the end of the season to join Wigan on a three-year deal.
Sam, 30, added: “Time’s ticking and we’re just enjoying every minute that we have left together.
“But you have to take that emotion out come game time.
“You play with a level of emotion – I do anyway – but it can go too far.
“We just want to spend as much time together as possible, enjoy it and hopefully the end result will come.” is able to end his enforced lay-off, will be chasing a fifth world title.
“I will definitely be back riding again, you are not going to get rid of me just yet,” he said after watching the British GP.
“There is no way fans have seen the last of me on track, although obviously Jennie’s health and looking after our boys will always be my primary consideration.” Organisers have been sympathetic to Hancock and fully backed his decision to take a break so he could be with his wife and family.
“Greg, as expected, did everything the right way,” said a GP insider.
“He told us about his wife’s illness before it became public and we have been in regular contact throughout the year.”