Sam Burgess Returns to the Rabbitohs for Seasons 2016 Through 2018
Club until at least the end of the 2018 season, it was announced today.
Burgess, 26, will re-join his only NRL Club, the Rabbitohs, after a 12-month period in English Rugby where he
played five Rugby Test matches for England including the 2015 Rugby World Cup, one match for England
Saxons and 26 appearances for Bath.
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, one game for Northern
Union and one game for the NRL All Stars.
Sam will re-unite with brothers George and Thomas at the Rabbitohs in 2016.
Rabbitohs Head Coach Michael Maguire is delighted to see Sam returning to his Australian home.
“I could not be happier to see Sam coming home to the Rabbitohs,” Coach Maguire said.
“He had an enormously positive impact on our Club, both on and off the field, throughout the five seasons he was
here, and to be bringing back one of the game’s most dominant players is fantastic for not only our Club, but the
game itself.
“He will add starch to our forward pack, and he will bring his leadership qualities to the team as well.
“He wanted to test himself in Rugby Union and he achieved many of his goals, becoming a dual International for
England and representing his country at a Rugby World Cup.
“The next chapter is for him to return to the game he was born to play, and we’re over the moon that he is coming
home to do that with his Rabbitohs family here at South Sydney.”
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."
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