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Mon 6 Oct 2014 | 04:28
Sam Burgess breaks cheekbone in first minute, plays on and wins NRL title

11
Comments

Rugby League star Sam Burgess will be switching to Union to join Bath Rugby in England soon, but this past weekend he had one more League match to play, in the NRL Grand Final. In the opening seconds Englishman Burgess carried the ball up but got a head in the cheek, causing the fracture. It didn't deter him though.

The hardman will be joining Bath soon and England fans cannot wait, as the rugby league star is thought to be a serious prospect ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup.

He doesn't have a lot of time to make an impact, but make an impact he will, and if all goes to plan for the fans, he could be playing Test rugby sooner than later.

Unfortunately the 25-year-old will undergo surgery on the cheekbone on Tuesday, so will be out of action for six weeks. His three-year Bath contract was set to commence with a LV= Cup outing in November, but that much anticipated debut may have to be put on hold.

On Sunday he helped the South Sydney Rabbitohs to their first NRL Grand Title in 43 years as they beat the Canterbury Bulldogs 30-6. He won Man of the Match, becoming the first non-Australian to win the Clive Churchill medal. As you can see in the below video, he took a big knock early on.

Burgess has been touted to play in the midfield in Rugby Union. Where would you play him?

Posted By: Grant Constable

11 Comments

  • corrie
    4:57 PM 21/10/2014

    Will he be able to create space for his other backline fellows. Centre should be able to create space as well. We will see if he makes an impact.

  • corrie
    4:54 PM 21/10/2014

    You would want your main play makers in the centres though. Players can get lost on the wing.

  • 10stonenumber10
    9:43 PM 11/10/2014

    Will England want to base an entire game plan around one non-playmaker?

    There is no doubt in his ability to break tackles and smash people, but they cheat a lot differently in Union. He can take a hit like nobody's business (as seen in this video), and is a rather infamous squirrel gripper, but will he know what to do when someone McCaw's him off their feet and on the wrong side? You can only go for the ball when tackling 1 on 1 in League, it isn't a natural thing for the 13-a-siders.

    Centre is a more straightforward option. 12 has a relatively simpler role in defence than a 13 or back 3, as long as the 10 can run the defensive line there shouldn't be too many problems. Working with Eastmond should help too, they both speak League, as does Farrell Snr, so it isn't a complete shot in the dark.

    The only question marks are about distribution

  • dennyt
    11:22 PM 08/10/2014

    Absolute legend in RL, I was hoping he would come back to Blighty and don a Leeds Rhinos top but que sera...Rugby Union have been gifted a fantastic player and I have no doubt he will take Union by storm...

  • oakheart
    11:30 PM 07/10/2014

    "I didn't quite catch that, did he say 'It's gone.'?"
    No mate, he said "It's fu(ked.". Brilliant interview though, keep it up.

  • skid986
    8:40 PM 07/10/2014

    Agreed about the defensive issues. As a union winger you're part of the back three and need to cover as a fullback with all the game understanding and awareness to read the match and be in the right place at the right time. This is Ashton's major weakness.

  • jimmy23
    11:10 AM 07/10/2014

    I can see what you mean, they are both quick for their size but I don't think either of them have the flat out pace needed for the position. Look at the second test in Dunedin this June when Tuilagi ran down the wing with a clear path to the try line and then got done over by Ben Smith. If that had been Wade, Watson, hell even Ashton, they probably would have gone all the way. I also think these days all wingers really need a bit of agility on them. Even Julian Savea, who can run over forwards, has a decent step on him.
    I can see how having those two run in off the wing would certainty cause trouble but I think they'd get done on defence.

  • stroudos
    7:30 AM 07/10/2014

    Mildly controversial suggestion - Burgess and Tuilagi on the wings. They're not there for their creativity and distribution; they're there to batter through defences. Doesn't mean they should wait on the wings, they must come in looking for work so we have two incredible strike-runners to poke a massive hole in the midfield at any moment. Keep the opposition guessing as to who's going to smash it up.
    Eastmond and Twelvetrees/Burrell in the centres.

  • 12:00 AM 07/10/2014

    A thin line between stupidity and heroism for sure. This will delay his union prep even more. League is so structured the fluidness of Union will be a challenge for sure. Has to be a centre, too much to learn in the pack. Should be interesting. SWB took years to develop, mason was a flop. But the rfu loves their leagueis, gave that Saracen centre a cap for nothing a couple of years ago.

  • jimmy23
    11:48 PM 06/10/2014

    Most men would be writhing around the floor in pain
    He's just like, "ouch, face feels funny"

  • iluvyomumma
    10:07 PM 06/10/2014

    The man is an absolute champion, fair play!

    Really hope he still has time to convert and play in the World Cup. He'd be great for the England team, you guys have got genuine World Class in that boy

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