INBOUND Warrington coach Sam Burgess is getting a close-up look at five of the players he will be working with in pre-season after getting on board with the England coaching team.
The 34-year-old, who played in 24 Tests for England and two for Great Britain, has linked up with national team chief Shaun Wane, Andy Last and former Wolves favourite Lee Briers for the ongoing series against Tonga.
The squad includes winger Matty Ashton, centre Toby King, halfback George Williams, hooker Danny Walker and backrower Ben Currie.
England skipper Williams is in the middle of a two-match ban, so will only be available for the third Test at Headingley on Saturday week, November 4.
King played on loan for Wigan in their Grand Final win over Catalans, but will be back at Warrington next season.
South Sydney Rabbitohs legend Burgess, who captained England in the 2017 World Cup Final defeat by Australia in Brisbane, was confirmed as Daryl Powell’s successor at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in August.
But his two-year contract is only just kicking in, with interim Gary Chambers having guided the Wolves to sixth spot and the play-offs before becoming director of rugby.
England involvement will broaden the coaching experience of Dewsbury-born former Bradford forward Burgess, who held the reins at Orara Valley Axemen, a ‘Country’ team in Northern New South Wales, and was an assistant coach at Souths, with whom he won the NRL title as a player in 2014.
“Sam is a very proud Englishman and a legend of a bloke,” said Wane recently.
“He’ll be coming in and having a chat, being in and around the squad and watching video.
“Sam is getting into head-coaching himself. He’s open-minded, wants to improve and he thinks he can get better if he comes into camp with us.”
Warrington will introduce Burgess at a special event at the Halliwell Jones on Saturday, November 11.
