“I couldn’t do anything right. I was fighting a losing battle playing rugby union in England… my heart just isn’t in it”
Those are the words from former Rugby Union player Sam Burgess. After leaving Bath after less than a year in the wake of England’s previous world cup horror show. He decided to leave Bath and retire from the sport all together due to personal reasons, but his decisions was also linked to his desire of playing the sport he claimed that was closest to his heart and what he wants to spend the rest of his life doing.
Over to Rugby Union, as we have the 6 nations approaching next year, why don’t you let Wimbledon hospitality look after you as England continue their strong surge in taking over the world! Sadly that wasn’t the case for Sam Burgess and his England team. Having failed to adapt to the Union game, Sam admitted that Rugby League has always been in his heart and that playing back in Sydney is what feels normal for him as he was playing with his family.
He claimed that part of him was disappointed in leaving and that he was taking the easy way out, but gives the guy a break, he tried and failed… done. Let him go back to what he enjoys most and where he feels most comfortable… so how has Burgess managed to adjust?
Try scoring return
Sam Burgess celebrated his return to Rugby league with a try and a man-of-the-match performance in South Sydney’s 22-20 win over the Gold Coast Titans in a pre-season friendly at Australia’s Gold Coast. After re-joining the Rabbitohs it was if he never left. Before he left for the Rugby Union, Burgess was the Sydney club’s hero during the 2014 premiership final. Yet, despite his horrid experience in the union, Burgess proved he’s still got the calibre and flamboyance that can shut up his ‘haters’. But regardless of the horrid time he had in England, things are looking positive for Burgess. He married his Australian girlfriend Phoebe Hooke and was nominated to play in the NRL all-stars season piper-opener, however had to unfortunately pull out due to injury.
It obviously clear that Rugby union wasn’t a clear match for Burgess, sometimes in life we just done get on with things. It like milk and orange juice, they just don’t go together no matter how hard you try. Burgess’s true home is in Australia playing Rugby league. You can see that’s where he was happiest and where his skill is fully appreciated. It’s hard to explain why he failed to adapt to the Union and English game… Maybe it was home sickness, environmental conditions or the mechanics in Rugby Union. That negative time however, should not take away the quality in Burgess’s game and maybe another time, he could walk into Rugby Union and present to everyone the player he can be, but for now, let him enjoy his time in the country and the game he loves.
