He’s back! Burgess returns to Rugby League

   05/11/2015

Sam Burgess’ long awaited return to Rugby League has finally happened, with the England international returning to NRL side South Sydney until the end of the 2018 season.

Burgess, 26, will re-join his only NRL Club, the Rabbitohs, after a 12-month period in rugby union. in his short stint in the 15-man code, he played five Test matches for England including the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Burgess played 96 NRL matches for South Sydney, including a Clive Churchill Medal-winning performance in the 2014 NRL Grand Final where he played virtually the entire game with a fractured face following a head-clash with fellow Englishman, James Graham of the Bulldogs.

Burgess has also played 17 Rugby League Test matches for England and Great Britain and one game for the NRL All Stars.

Sam will re-unite with brothers George and Thomas at the Rabbitohs in 2016.

Burgess said he was grateful to England Rugby and Bath for his experience in Rugby Union and is now looking forward to getting stuck into training alongside his Rabbitohs teammates.

“I want to thank everyone at England Rugby and Bath for some great memories over the last 12 months,” Burgess said.

“I must also thank Bath especially for granting my release to return home to my family who I have missed more than I could have imagined.

“I am also extremely excited to be joining back up with South Sydney. I cannot wait to get back into the Rabbitohs culture, full of great people and passionate Members and supporters.

“I had a wonderful time in England and learnt a lot about the game of rugby union as both a back and a forward, and I have definitely developed as an all-round player and athlete after that.

“I’m now very lucky to be given the chance to come back to Souths and serve this club and its members.

“I look forward to getting stuck into training with all the boys and working hard for the upcoming season.”

His return to Rugby League came just six hours after his release from Bath first surfaced.