Sam Burgess
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| Burgess in January 2011 | ||||||
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Samuel Burgess | |||||
| Born | 14 December 1988 [1] Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
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| Height | 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) | |||||
| Weight | 114 kg (17 st 13 lb)
Head Circumference = 96cm (38 inches) |
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| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row, Loose forward/Lock | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2006–09 | Bradford Bulls | 80 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 66 |
| 2010– | South Sydney | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Total | 106 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 78 | |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2008–10 | England | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 2007 | Great Britain | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2010 | NRL All Stars | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| As of July 16th, 2010 | ||||||
| Source: Rugby League Project | ||||||
Sam Burgess (born 14 December 1988) is an English professional rugby league footballer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the National Rugby League. A Great Britain and England international representative forward, he previously played for English club Bradford Bulls of Super League.
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[edit] Early and personal life
Burgess was born on 14 December 1988 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, 4.7kg, head circumference 52cm. He played his junior rugby for Dewsbury Moor. He attended Heckmondwike Grammar School to receive a secondary education before becoming a rugby player. His late father, Mark Burgess, was also a rugby league footballer who played for Nottingham City, Rochdale Hornets, Dewsbury and Hunslet.[2] His older brother Luke, and younger twin brothers Tom and George, are all professional rugby league footballers.[3] He regularly trains with Chris Feather (who is a personal trainer) who currently lives with him in Australia and plays with the Wyong Roos in the Central Coast.
He also used to play for Liversedge Cricket Club. Burgess supports Leeds United in Association football.
[edit] Bradford Bulls
Burgess made his Super League début against Leeds in 2006. After a highly successful début season with the Bulls, Burgess was awarded the Senior Academy Player of the Year Award by the club. In 2007 Burgess has established himself as a first team regular.
After a great full season he was called up for the Great Britain squad for the 2007 Test series with New Zealand, and was named as young player of the year in Super League. Burgess made his Great Britain début against New Zealand in the 1st test in October 2007, scoring a try. Burgess also played in the centenary match between the All Golds and Northern Union; he was awarded the Man of the match. He gained attention for his big hit on New Zealand prop Fuifui Moimoi during the Kiwi's 2007 tour when he was only 19 years old.[4]
At the end of the 2008 Super League season, Burgess was forced to rule himself out contention for the England 2008 World Cup squad because of injury.[5]
Burgess, in his last game in the UK before moving to the NRL, played a prominent role in the final of the 2009 Four Nations tournament, scoring two tries in England's loss to Australia.[6]
[edit] South Sydney Rabbitohs
In September, 2009, the South Sydney Rabbitohs announced they had signed Burgess on a four year deal from the 2010 season. Burgess, on contract at Bradford until the end of the 2010 season, was released after the clubs agreed on a compensation fee.[4][7] South Sydney co-owner and A-list celebrity Russell Crowe persuaded Burgess to choose his club over others that were competing for his signature, after inviting Burgess and his mother to the set of Robin Hood, which he was filming in England at the time.[8] Burgess played Prop-Forward for the NRL All Stars in the inaugural All Stars match after Rabbitohs prop Dave Taylor injured his ankle at training. It was played at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast on February 13, 2010. The NRL All Stars lost the game 16–12.
It has been said in the media that "Sam Burgess is the best Pommie to come out here in 20 years" meaning he is the best English exported player to play in the NRL for 20 years.
He was selected to play for England against France in the one-off test in 2010.[9] He gained a spot on the panel hosting The Footy Show.
Burgess was given a one week ban by the NRL judiciary for a grade one grapple tackle. He was placed on report during Round 21, against the Canterbury Bulldogs, for a grapple tackle made on Canterbury five-eighth Ben Barba. Burgess will miss the Round 22 clash against the West Tigers. This suspension has come at a fairly pivotal time in the season, with forwards Michael Crocker, Luke Stuart, Scott Geddes, and Dave Taylor all ruled out from the clash (and many ahead) already.[10]
Burgess continued to represent England at the end of the season in the 2010 Four Nations tournament.
His shoulder was injured in the first game of the 2011 NRL season against the Roosters on 11 March, for which he needed surgery and a month of rest. But as soon as he came back from that, he injured his ankle and is out for the remainder of 2011.
[edit] References
- ^ Stott, Julie (6 October 2010). "England Four Nations Pen Pics". News of the World (UK: News Group Newspapers Ltd.). http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/1038201/ENGLAND-FOUR-NATIONS-PEN-PICS.html. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
- ^ Irvine, Christopher (26 October 2007). "Sam Burgess inspired by memory of late father". The Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_league/article2741406.ece. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- ^ "Bulls snap up Burgess twins". Halifax Evening Courier. 17 January 2008. http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/local/Bulls-snap-up-Burgess-twins.3682386.jp. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- ^ a b http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26145754-5018866,00.html
- ^ "Deacon pulls out of England squad". BBC. 2008-09-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7604682.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ Lawrenson, David (2009-11-14). "Billy Slater helps himself as Australia outclass brave England". guardian.co.uk (UK: Guardian News and Media Limited). http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/nov/14/four-nations-england-australia. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
- ^ Walter, Brad (30 September 2009). "Souths sign England star". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/souths-sign-england-star/2009/09/30/1253989939516.html. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
- ^ Laybourn, Ian (2009). "BURGESS – CROWE CLINCHED SOUTHS DEAL". sportinglife.com (365 Media Group Ltd). http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/09/10/27/manual_155130.html. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (2010-06-13). "Widdop passes his first Test at a canter". The Independent (UK: Independent Print Limited). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/widdop-passes-his-first-test-at--a-canter-1999087.html. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
- ^ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sam-burgess-facing-two-weeks-suspended-for-grapple-tackle-on-ben-barba/story-e6frexnr-1225900077130
[edit] External links
- Sam Burgess Official Player Profile
- International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
- Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
- Burgess' off-the-field challenge
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- 1988 births
- People from Leeds
- English rugby league players
- Bradford Bulls players
- Great Britain national rugby league team players
- England national rugby league team players
- NRL All Stars players
- South Sydney Rabbitohs players
- Living people
- Rugby league locks
- Rugby league props
- Rugby league second-rows
- People educated at Heckmondwike Grammar School
