Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Sam Burgess forced to retire

By Online Editors
Sam Burgess at the 2015 Rugby World Cup

Sam Burgess says he was left with no choice but to walk away from rugby league after succumbing to a left shoulder injury.

The South Sydney captain confirmed his immediate retirement from the NRL on Wednesday afternoon, bringing to an end a glittering career.

The 30-year-old England Test star had long battled shoulder issues but the discovery of an irreparable condition followed surgery earlier this season and it became progressively worse.

“This decision was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in my life, however the decision was out of my hands essentially,” Burgess said.

“I am no longer able to be myself day-in, day-out on the training field and consequently the playing field.

Video Spacer

“I have loved absolutely every minute: the highs, the lows, the grand final, coming home, my injuries, my dates with the judiciary.

“It really has been a fantastic ride.”

Burgess will go down as one of the NRL’s great forwards.

He played 182 games for Souths and was Clive Churchill Medallist despite a debilitating facial fracture in their drought-breaking 2014 grand final win.

https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1189193379566911488

Rugged and fearless in the middle, he was the Rabbitohs’ leading forward from his NRL debut in 2010 until the end.

Apart from a brief switch to the 15-man code which culminated in representing England at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Burgess was named Souths’ player of the year in 2014, 2016 and 2017.

He also played 88 games for Bradford in the English Super League.

“He was one of the drawcards for me in coming to coach at South Sydney,” Souths and England mentor Wayne Bennett said.

https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1189333536257560581

“I was lucky enough to coach Sam in the All Stars game in 2010. I’d had heard so much about this Englishman that I had to see him for myself.

“Then I had the opportunity to coach him with England and I was hoping to coach him again this year with Great Britain.

“I’m glad to have played a sma ll role in his career and I feel blessed that he has been part of mine. I know he has made the right decision.”

https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1189411787180929024

Burgess’ imminent exit with three years to run on his multi-million dollar deal presents questions about South Sydney’s salary cap, given his retirement is based on medical grounds.

The Rabbitohs are yet to formally request dispensation but it’s believed they will given their claim it is a new injury only discovered this year.

The fact he has retired before the beginning of the next rugby league year on November 1 could mean his entire salary is struck from the 2020 cap if their application is successful.

Meanwhile the announcement will leave a leadership void at Redfern.

Greg Inglis had to call time on his career earlier this year, while fellow former captain John Sutton called it quits at the end of 2019.

Video Spacer

Damien Cook, Cameron Murray and Adam Reynolds are expected to be the leading contenders to assume the role.

Dav id Fifita, Jai Arrow and Tyson Frizell have been mooted as back row replacements, all of them off contract at the end of 2020 and available to be approached from Friday.

SAM BURGESS CAREER:

* NRL Games: 182

* Tests: 26 (24 for England, 2 for Great Britain)

* Tries: 44

* Premierships: 1 (2014)

* 2013 RLIF prop of the year

* 2014 Clive Churchill Medallist

* 2014 Dally M lock of the year

* 2014 RLIF player of the year

* Three-times South Sydney player of the year (2014, 2016 and 2017)

* Rugby union Tests: 5 (including England’s 2015 World Cup campaign).

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
Adrian 14 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
T
Trevor 3 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Luke Cowan-Dickie: 'I didn’t feel right. I felt like I was going to pass out. Everything was going black in front of me' Luke Cowan-Dickie: 'I didn’t feel right. I felt like I was going to pass out. Everything was going black in front of me'
Search