England head coach Stuart Lancaster is convinced Sam Burgess will remain a rugby player despite growing speculation he'll return to league after the World Cup.
Odds have been shortened on Burgess, 26, ending his cross-code adventure after only a year and one bookmaker has stopped taking bets amid reports he's set to join Super League club Leeds Rhinos.
England crashed out of the World Cup with a 33-13 defeat by Australia and the former South Sydney star's contribution to the campaign was one start and two replacement appearances. Burgess has been dropped from the match-day 23 for Sunday's final game against Uruguay and there is a groundswell of opinion that he's made his last England appearance.
However, Lancaster insists Burgess will not be ending his three-and-a-half-year contract after only 12 months.
"I've not had any conversations with him about a move to rugby league at all," Lancaster said. "Genuinely, 100 per cent I didn't know that story was out there. My last conversation with him was about going back to Bath. He can't wait to get stuck into the Premiership."
