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Sam Burgess’ former club fires shots at Sonny Bill Williams as they recall their rivalry on Burgess’ birthday

by
Callum Walker
December 14, 2021

Sam Burgess’ former club has paid tribute to the former rampaging forward on his birthday.

Burgess, who turned 33 today, spent nine seasons in total at the South Sydney Rabbitohs in two separate spells sandwiched between a period in rugby union.

The SAS Australia winner became one of the most respected Englishmen to ever make the trip Down Under, winning the Clive Churchill Medal in the 2014 Grand Final and becoming the first Rabbitohs man to win it in 43 years in the process.

Since his retirement at the end of the 2019 NRL season, Burgess has faced a number of trials and tribulations, most recently having his police investigation dropped into domestic violence.

In doing so, the 33-year-old was given the green light to return to coaching with the Orara Valley Axemen to repay Hollywood director and close friend Russell Crowe for the latter’s continued support.

It remains unclear whether or not Burgess will be allowed to coach in the NRL again next season as the governing body still has to make their own decision on the case.

But, the Rabbitohs will always hold a special place in the former Bradford Bulls star’s heart and vice versa.

No wonder, then, that the club paid tribute to Burgess on his birthday, as well as firing shots at Sonny Bill Williams, with the two often having a series of impassioned battles in the middle of the field when Williams plied his trade with the Sydney Roosters.

The Rabbitohs’ Instagram page put up a post of Burgess steamrolling over his New Zealand foe, with the caption: “Imagine being met with a lethal Sammy B hit in your first game back in the NRL 🤯😳 SBW doesn’t need to imagine 💥💥💥.”