Errrmm.... Rocky Elsom? Wycliff Palau? Brad Thorn? Even Nathan Hines played RL until he was 19 ffs. These are facts.

And please... save us the explanation that some of these guys may have played for their school rugby union team or whatever.... Burgess is a freak compared to these guys. If they can do it, then he easily can.

That said, Burgess has no need to try to get into the england union team in the forwards - he will stroll in as a back, simply because he is miles ahead of what they already have.

Sam Burgess is so good that despite having limited experience in Union and even more limited as a centre he completely eclipsed Jamie Roberts and shut him out of the game. On the other hand Roberts struggled to contain Burgess and needed assistance by way of Wales adjusting their defensive structure to put 2 players on Burgess.

This is the much lauded Jamie Roberts, one of the best centres in World Rugby Union, veteran of almost 150 Top Tier Club games, 72 Test matches for Wales, 1 Barbarians appearance and 3 X a Lions Rep. COMPLETELY SHUT OUT BY BURGESS!

England were twice 10 points up and still 7 points ahead when Burgess left the field, only morons and bigoted idiots with an agenda would blame Burgess for that loss.

Why on earth would I wish to tell that to 8 million RWC watchers?

That would be akin to me haranguing the 7 million Eastenders viewers that their choice of TV soap is crap.

Each to their own, there's no accounting for taste etc etc

We got him back! Welcome home Sam!! I knew it was only a matter of time (& Sam achieving an ambition to play in the RUWC) when I saw his face during his Union debut as explained in OP.

well, many of us said he only went to play in this WC and that he had had assurances he would be in the squad as part of the deal to move.despite being rubbished by many other people it now appears that was correct.

1 years 'rest' from the rigorous NRL, time in the spotlight worldwide and a bag full of cash to return still with his prime years left.Whatever way you look at it i doubt Sam Burgess regrets his year out.

Oh yes!