Bath Rugby are set to award Sam Burgess his rugby union debut on Friday at The Rec
The quest of the middle Burgess brother to claim a place at the 2015 Rugby World Cup looks set to begin on Friday night as Bath host Harlequins at The Recreation Ground. The 26-year-old rugby league convert will be hoping to help his team to a win that could move them top of the Aviva Premiership.
Ahead of his much-hyped debut, here are some Burgess bites* to get you up to speed.
1. He was dubbed ‘Great Britain’s Sonny Bill’ in 2006
The nickname refers to Sonny Bill Williams and was bestowed by Shontayne Hape soon after his league debut.
2. His hero growing up was another league-to-union convert Andy Farrell. The former Bradford bruiser went on to represent England and is now forwards coach with the national team
Reckon Andy Farrell could still do a job for us at centre? 😉 #rugbyleague #joiningjack #Legend https://t.co/vhXphNxjOQ
— Stu (@Wigan_Stu) September 5, 2014
3. His older brother, Luke, and younger twin brothers, Tom and George, play league in Australia
4. He has already been the subject of a documentary – Slammin’ Sam: The Sam Burgess Story
5. Russell Crowe encouraged Burgess to join his South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2010. He helped them win the NRL Grand Final in August 2014
After Burgess helped the Rabbitohs to the title, Crowe declared, ‘He’s an incredible young man. I knew that when I first met him. I explain to people my theory of the sparkly-eyed man, and he had it. He’s done it. He won a Grand Final with South Sydney – first time in 43 years – and he’s won a Clive Churchill medal, and he’s done it with a broken eye socket. History has been written and he has carved his name deep in the history of rugby league.’
6. Burgess broke his cheekbone and eye socket in that final and was unwisely approached at half-time for a TV interview
He told the intrepid reporter, ‘It’s f***ed. It’s gone.’
7. Burgess told Fox Sports after the win that the concussion sustained in that first-half blow meant he had no recollection of his brother George’s try
The Rabbitohs were fined €35,000 for not following all of the proper concussion protocols.
8. In 2008 he warned about rugby league losing its best talents to union
However, he assured the BBC, ‘I played a bit of union when I was younger but I’m definitely on the side of league.’
9. Watch out for skills like this in the Premiership and, if Burgess has his way, next year’s Six Nations
*Do they still make Burger Bites?
