The overall point that he is the archetypal league forward is the main thing to me. I'm sure if he perseveres with hard work in a couple of years he could get back into the England team as a forward. But he won't be anything like as dominant as he was in RL, and his legacy in RU will probably always be as a failed centre. Meanwhile his legacy in RL diminishes with every day he is away from the sport.

In the long-term he may end up financially worse off than if he'd stayed at Souths and remained the code's best forward, not to mention the whole clan Burgess rubbish which guaranteed media interest and potentially significant earnings from outside the game.

I said at the time of his signing that it was a dumb move for all parties, but mainly Bath, as they clearly hadn't looked at him on the basis of what he could do in RU, but what he had done in RL. The fact they brought him over as a centre then decided he'd never make it there (which should have been stunningly obvious to anybody with a knowledge of either code) is a damning indictment on his recruitment IMO.

The losers in this currently are Burgess himself, who has come to be a figure of fun, and RL which has lost one of its potential all-time greats. Medium term though RL may benefit as hopefully this will warn them off being quite as keen on signing RL players. Hopefully Farrell gets told to get stuffed next time he suggests bringing an RL player across.

What is your problem exactly mate? You are a bit of a loon.

I love the Burgess has failed line. It is palpably wrong.

The guy switches sport. Within less than 1 year compared to being surrounded by players who have been playing the game constantly for 20 years, he is selected at the highest level in union bar nothing.

On top of this, they can't decide if he is to be used in the forwards or the backs. So you have someone who has switched codes to a totally new sport, then a totally new framework (ie. new position, from forwards to backs).

He is poorly used by a coach with clearly no idea. Despite this, every match in which he plays he actually adds to England union's efforts and in every case as I can tell England actually leads when his involvement ends.

The side in which he played as opposed to him individually was miserable.

Burgess is blamed widely for "failing". You couldn't dream it up. And people just swallow it up left and right.

What can you say but remarkable.

These are the same sort of twits who claim Jarryd Hayne has failed because he too has switched within one year to a totally foreign sport and is consistently playing at the highest level in that new sport...and what isn't immediately voted MVP in the NFL?

Get a clue of what is involved in these sorts of transitions. Then have a think about why rugby league players are able to do it so readily and especially quickly and the only proper conclusion is the level of skill rugby league players have generically is very high.

Failed. haha

The Times suggests he will extend his contract ad Bath until 2019 because he wants to okay in next World Cup as flanker, loves RU and is settled there. All per Mikw Ford. Whether this is posturing to try to keep him or reality I guess the next few weeks will reveal.

One thing Sam will like about Union is the social circuit - he got quite a name for himself in Sydney as a bit of a Champagne Charlie - likes to mix in the wealthy/popular/higher society circles, he's above the mere commoners.... That's not a view many people will want to hear on here, but Big Sam does like to be the big deal - think the link with Russell Crowe and his stardom might have elevated his own self importance.

You still subscribing to BT just to watch the Aviva Prem rugby?

Sam Burgess will stay in Union because being the ambitious person he is, he will want to play at the next RWC and in the Lions tour of NZ in 2017, not to mention testing himself in the European Cup with Bath, and prove he has what it takes. He also won't want to be seen as a quitter. The reason he swapped codes is because of his ambition, as many people on here have highlighted RL can't service those ambitions, RU can. Once he has a whole season playing flanker he will progress in RU.

I honestly hope stays, knuckles down at bath and earns his stripes as a flanker. Sam is a winner, and he will be a winner in Union. He has nothing to prove to league anymore, I hope he stays and makes all those who have wrote him off swallow their words.

Well Burgess has committed himself in the media to staying in Union until at least the next World Cup, but wanting to do so as a back-rower rather than a centre.

Might mean he needs to step back from the international game for 12 months or so to continue learning the technicalities of the position.

SBW has ambition and switches regularly to maximise achievement. To stay in Union would not be ambitious in my opinion. It would show persistence to prove a point but at the detriment of his overall career as a sportsman.

By regularly switching codes SBW isn't maximising his potential in either sport IMO. He could have been one of the RL greats. Same can be said of Sam Burgess.

I didn't say maximising his potential at either sport but maximising achievement of ambition.

More like maximising achievement of £££....

One thing that always gets me is that we all start playing sport for the enjoyment of it... Now I know that things change when the guys are making a career of it, and they've to look after themselves and their families financially - but ultimately, they're losing out on the chance to play the sport they love, whilst still being very well rewarded financially and with the chance to build 'legendary' status just for extra money and supposedly 'challenging themselves' (though I don't really buy that - I think that's a convenient excuse for chasing the £).. I don't buy that either Burgess or SBW enjoy playing or the 'ambitious challenge' of RU as much as they would enjoy RL....

Or testing themselves in another sport.......................

It must be very difficult if someone turns up with a contract worth heaps more cash than you are getting and offers more media exposure, better sponsorship etc

Although we like to knock Union on here and personally I don't understand why it has such a huge following, you cant blame any league player for giving it a go.

There were plenty coming the other way until they went professional(as opposed to brown paper bags full of cash or overpaid jobs with sponsors etc), some were excellent and others flopped.

I do like a bit of loyalty, and people in sport seeing the job through. I think Burgess will stay with Barth until 2019.

Loyalty as in how Burgess asked to be released from the last year of his contract with Souths you mean? Or how he milked the whole Burgess clan nonsense for all it was worth then left the country?

From the point of view of the game it would be great for him to come back to RL. On a personal level I would be highly amused if he stays at Bath and ends up a journeyman forward.

Burgess was never going to come back, he is getting paid a fortune for doing very little.
It makes me laugh when people say he didn't go to Union for the money.

Burgess has no choice but to come back. Once the Rugger Bugger media decide to make some player the goat it's practically impossible to gain England selection.

Right now Burgess is toxic. Any incoming England coach will be incredibly wary of selecting him. It'll be hard enough turning this bunch into a functioning rugby team without having the press on your back, too.

Deluded/
£800 K PA will make him cope with any crap he gets from the media.

A few months at 6 and he will be in the England squad. Maybe not playing in the team but will be in the squad.

Just imagine he earns more than 50% of a WHOLE SL teams salary cap or
20% of an NRL cap.

Burgess didn't join Union to play domestic football. If he's consistently overlooked he will walk.



Yeah, sure.

For me its all about the occasion and union certainly does that and I can only imagine how a player feels out in the middle of a packed partisan Twickenham.

However, if that passion of the crowd turns into a concerted dislike of a player it must be a lonely place.

I think he will be back in League. Unless some agent somewhere stands to lose a packet on him.

Is Chris Caisley, Walker Morris Solicitors, Leeds (ex Bradford Bulls Chairman) still his agent?

Yesterday's man in their game. Probably the same in ours. A pity but no-one died.

As long as Burgess accepts that every time the team he plays for loses he will be the scap goat he will be fine.
He just have to look at his bank account to console himself