It will be a shame if he doesn't come back to League, however, I reckon they might be giving him the 6 nations carrot for the spring and saying "give us another chance, if the 6 nations doesnt work for you then make a decision then"....

He needs an off season back in Rugby League, as for me, he has lost a lot of muscle

I think its the latter, and i can't see any Rugby League club prepared to pay the money Bath might want to buy out his contract.

he is going to trot out that same old stuff when asked though isn't he?, but until Burgess comes out and confirms it himself then it is still as up in the air as yesterday and he is doing absolutely nothing to quash these rumours himself right now is he? all he has to do is come out and say, look i'm seeing it through and that's that.

Ford said on Radio Leeds just after the world cup that they were talking to Burgess about extending his contract. When you listened to the interview what Ford actually said was that he hadn't spoken to Sam for 2 weeks but they had been talking about it before the WC.

The Sydney press is starting to suggest his return is getting more likely: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/sout ... klpqp.html Still seems speculation though.

The Sydney press is starting to suggest his return is getting more likely: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/sout ... klpqp.html Still seems speculation though.

If he's spotted in the crowd or on the big screen at the KC Stadium on Sunday, I hope the whole ground gives him a few rousing choruses of "There's only one Sam Burgess..."

Perhaps not so "deluded" after all.



Burgess knows he's a dead man walking in Union now that the Rugger Buggers have all but assassinated his character. It'll take months - perhaps years for the damage to be undone sufficiently for him to challenge perceived wisdom and regain a spot in the England starting XV.

Sure, the money is good. But good enough to make up for the crushing disappointment of missing out on the very tournament that had attracted him to the sport in the first place? Not to mention his current status of persona non-grata.

Agree. He will be back most likely.

What's the latest? RL folk seem convinced he's coming back to RL, UK press suggesting he's staying in Union. Suppose all will start to become clearer tomorrow.

His stance of staying quiet would suggest to me that he wants to go. If Mike Ford's version of events were true and Burgess had been telling him how much he is looking forward to returning to Bath then I think Burgess would've could out and echoed that view.

He might well stay in RU but it'll only be because a transfer fee couldn't be agreed upon, not because he wants to stay.

I think he'll stay in RU, but the "UK press" would have no idea how big the NRL is in Sydney, so probably find it impossible to believe that any player could even consider leaving RU for RL.

The idea that as professional journalists they'd be so wilfully ill-informed is depressing because it's probably true.

He's staying in RU, in fact it's more damaging to him for him to leave now

I'd actually say the UK media are leaning more towards him going. As well as the Nationals, even now the local Bath paper which previously thought he'd returned are now saying it looks likely he'll leave. They even say he reportedly told the England RL players last week after the France game that "he's played his last game of Union"

Maybe staying in Union? SMH reports Richardson not in UK to try to sign him and no marquee player support. Who knows?

Not sure what you mean by it's more damaging fir him to leave now? From what point of view? The way I see it if he wants to return to RL then now is the time to do it. Reasons - once he gets established in Union he'll stay if successful, the longer he leaves it the more the memory if the GF fades and so he'll be in less demand as time goes by, the longer he leaves it the more bad habits in RL terms he'll pick up, his body shape will change, the NRL will move on in playing terms and in a couple of years it may take him a while to adapt back, the longer he leaves it the more likely there'll be a new kid on the block, etc. If he doesn't return after all this hype then it would also show his heart really isn't in RL. That's my take on it all. I expect him to stay in Union as he's being used as a great political football by them and they won't want to give that up - probably chuck cash at him and promise him the Earth.

Nonsense. If he stays in RU it's bad news for our sport. He can't be any more damaged in the eyes of any cynical Union writers. England RL would be given a significant boost if he comes back, and it would also help to give second thoughts to other stars tempted by the Union guinea. As for Sam, he'd go back to being a superstar in Aus sport, with his family around him in a better climate. Seems pretty good all round to me. BTW The Times is reporting that Richardson is meeting folks here ( he's in UK for the test matches ) to facilitate a return to the Rabbitohs.

He has already lost a lot of his muscle mass - looking at him in the Souths Grand Final win, to how he looked in the England shirt

According to BT sport "Bath head coach Mike Ford is expected to give an update on the future of Sam Burgess this afternoon." sport.bt.com/rugby-union-hub/rug ... 4014339844

According to BT sport "Bath head coach Mike Ford is expected to give an update on the future of Sam Burgess this afternoon." sport.bt.com/rugby-union-hub/rug ... 4014339844

RL should be throwing money at him to get him back. He's a genuine superstar and could be the difference between us winning the next World Cup. Hopefully he sees sense and returns asap

he returned to training at Bath yesterday. This is one of the most important decisions he will now make in his career. Stay in Union, potential to be continuously chastised and then get to an age where a return to League wouldn't be possible due to loss of fitness, muscle and core skills.

I think he needs to come back to League

Thee Leeds story has surfaced again. If SB comes back to RL could it be a years at Leeds before Souths? Will there be a compromise - finish the season at Bath then Souths? Or will it be all Bath / all Souths?

I really can't see him taking a wage cut to go to Leeds. It'll be the NRL if he comes back to League - which he needs to do now. Just wasted in union.

Leeds interest confirmed
[urlhttp://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/34713171[/url