Search icon

Rugby

06th Nov 2015

Rugby union veterans see the funny side of Sam Burgess’s defection

Class divide

Mikey Stafford

It’s fair to say the Sam Burgess experiment was an unmitigated clusterf**k.

The England and Bath flanker/centre has packed up his troubles in his old kitbag and hightailed it back to the warm embrace of Sydney, Russell Crowe and rugby league.

A mere 372 days after signing up for rugby union at Bath on a £500,000 a year contract, Burgess has abandoned the 15-man game in the wake of a disastrous World Cup where he carried the can – somewhat unfairly – for England’s early exit.

Still, it seems the decision of the working class lad from West Yorkshire to abandon his fabled West Country team-mates for the lucrative rewards of the NRL is ripe for comedy.

Particularly amongst old pros.

https://twitter.com/brianmoore666/status/662562966559174657/photo/1

According to the Daily Mail there was nothing funny about the manner of  Burgess’s departure, with the 26 year old banned from returning to the club or seeing his ex-teammates after the deal was done with South Sydney Rabbitohs.

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10