League: Burgess to bounce?

Sam Burgess and Sonny Bill Williams are fierce rivals. Photo / Photosport

South Sydney's England international forward Sam Burgess may go head-to-head with Sonny Bill Williams again - but in next year's Rugby World Cup.

Burgess, who targeted Williams in his return to rugby league for the Roosters last year and again at league's World Cup, is considering quitting the Rabbitohs to accept an approach to play for England in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The Sunday Telegraph has learned a key representative from England's Rugby Football Union floated the idea of a code switch during the Rugby League World Cup in the UK last November. Burgess, who is contracted to South Sydney until the end of 2016, has told those close to him the prospect of becoming a dual international for England holds massive appeal.

If Burgess accepts the offer, it would mean leaving the Rabbitohs at the end of this season. South Sydney have been made aware of the rugby union approach and have even gone as far as attempting to fast-track negotiations to sign Kangaroo forward and Cronulla prop Andrew Fifita for 2015 as part of the club's contingency plan.

The Bunnies went into damage control about the Burgess development yesterday, with chief executive Shane Richardson adamant there has been no approach from England's Rugby Football Union about Burgess being granted an early release.

"There's been no approach from the English rugby union, Sam Burgess, his management or any English rugby union clubs about a release," Richardson said. "He's contracted with South Sydney for another three seasons."

But the Sunday Telegraph has learned England rugby league legend Andy Farrell, now one of the coaches in the England rugby union set-up, is believed to have approached Burgess about the prospect of switching codes.

Using the Rugby World Cup in England as a primary drawcard, Farrell is believed to have planted the seed about Burgess playing for his country in front of sold-out home crowds at Twickenham in 2015. Farrell is an English rugby league legend who also switched codes to the 15-a-side game late in his career and became a dual international. He has been employed in the England rugby union coaching structure for the past 18 months.

Burgess is believed to have told England rugby league coach Steve McNamara about the rugby union offer during the Rugby League World Cup.

Burgess' agent, James Erskine from SEL, said Burgess received a variety of approaches on a regular basis but was unaware of any formal offer from the Rugby Football Union.

"I don't know whether that's true or not, he gets approaches all the time," Erskine said.

"At the moment, he's got a contract with Souths; that's all I can say, really. Whether or not someone approached him when he was in England during the Rugby League World Cup, I don't know.

"He's playing for Souths this year. Whether Sam's had discussions with Russell about something else, I don't know."

Ironically, if Burgess was to accept the offer, the NRL star could renew hostilities with Sydney Roosters dual international Sonny Bill Williams, who is signed to play for the All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup.

The pair have established a fierce rivalry in the NRL with Burgess deliberately going in search of Williams in the Kiwi superstar's return to rugby league in round one last season.

While Williams plays inside centre in the 15-a-side code for the All Blacks, Burgess's explosive style of play would make him an ideal running No 8 in rugby union.

Burgess signed with South Sydney in 2010 after the club's Hollywood owner Russell Crowe invited the English international and his mum Julie into his trailer on the set of the movie Robin Hood in the UK.

The England and Great Britain star has played 70 games for the Rabbitohs over the past four seasons, establishing a reputation as one of the best forwards in the NRL.

- Sunday Telegraph, Sydney