Sam Burgess facts for kids
Burgess in 2013
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Personal information
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| Full name | Samuel Burgess | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 14 December 1988 Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England |
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| Height | 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 116 kg (256 lb; 18 st 4 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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Rugby league
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| Position | Loose forward, Prop, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union
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| Position | Centre, Back row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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As of 29 Sep 2024
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| Education | Heckmondwike Grammar School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Luke Burgess (brother) Tom Burgess (brother) George Burgess (brother) |
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Samuel 'Sam' Burgess, born on December 14, 1988, is a famous English rugby league coach. He is currently the head coach for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League. Before coaching, Sam was a professional rugby league player. He played as a strong forward during the 2000s and 2010s.
Sam played in England for the Bradford Bulls in the Super League. He also played in Australia for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL. In 2014, the Rabbitohs won the NRL Premiership. This was their first win in 43 years! Sam was named the best player in the Grand Final, winning the Clive Churchill Medal. He also played for the Great Britain and England international teams.
In late 2014, Sam tried playing a different type of rugby called rugby union. He joined Bath. In August 2015, he was chosen for the England national team. This made him a rare player who played both rugby codes internationally. He was part of England's team for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. After the World Cup, he returned to rugby league for the 2016 NRL season.
On October 30, 2019, Sam Burgess announced he was retiring from playing. This was due to a shoulder injury.
Contents
About Sam Burgess
Sam Burgess is also known by his nickname, "Slammin' Sam". He comes from a family of rugby league players. His younger brothers, Tom and George, played with him at the Rabbitohs. His older brother, Luke, also played rugby before retiring.
Sam's Early Life
Sam was born on December 14, 1988, in Liversedge, England. His father, Mark Burgess, was also a rugby league player. He played for teams like Dewsbury. Sam's mother, Julie, is a teacher.
Sam went to Heckmondwike Grammar School. He started playing junior rugby for Hunslet Parkside and Dewsbury Moor. He also played cricket for Liversedge Cricket Club.
Sam's Rugby League Career
Playing for Bradford Bulls
Sam Burgess made his first Super League appearance in 2006. He played against Leeds. People were already calling him "Great Britain's Sonny Bill" because of his talent. After a great first season, he won the Senior Academy Player of the Year Award.
In 2007, Sam became a regular player for the first team. He was chosen for the Great Britain squad to play New Zealand. He was also named young player of the year in the Super League. Sam played his first game for Great Britain in October 2007. He even scored a try! He became well-known for a big tackle on New Zealand player Fuifui Moimoi. Sam was only 19 years old at the time.
In September 2009, the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia signed Sam. He was still under contract with the Bradford Bulls. But the clubs agreed on a fee, and Sam was released early. Russell Crowe, who co-owns the Rabbitohs, helped convince Sam to join his club. He invited Sam and his mother to the set of his movie Robin Hood.
Sam played his last game in the UK in the 2009 Four Nations tournament final. He scored two tries for England against Australia.
Playing for South Sydney Rabbitohs
Before playing his first game for South Sydney, Sam played for the NRL All Stars. This was the first All Stars match ever. It happened on February 13, 2010.
In August 2013, the Burgess brothers made history. Sam, Tom, George, and Luke all played in the same Australian team. This was the first time four brothers played together in an Australian side since 1910! After the 2013 NRL season, Sam played for England in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.
On February 17, 2014, it was announced that Sam would switch to rugby union at the end of the year. His last game for South Sydney was the 2014 NRL Grand Final. He played with his brothers Tom and George against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Sam broke his cheekbone in the very first tackle of the game. But he kept playing! His team won the match. He was given the Clive Churchill Medal for being the best player in the Grand Final. He was the first South Sydney player in 43 years to win this award.
Sam's Rugby Union Experience
Sam signed a three-year contract with Bath Rugby in England. He started playing for them in December 2014. His start was delayed because he needed surgery for his fractured cheekbone. Many in English rugby union saw him as a player who could bring his rugby league skills to their game.
He scored his first try for Bath in a game against Wasps. He was also named man of the match. In January, he was chosen for the England Saxons squad. In August, Sam was named in the England Elite Squad. He made his international debut against France on August 15. England won the game 19-14.
Sam decided to leave rugby union on November 5. He chose to return to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. He signed a new three-year contract with them.
Return to Rugby League
In November 2015, news came out that Sam had signed with the South Sydney Rabbitohs again. He was one of the highest-paid rugby league players ever. In December 2015, Sam was chosen to play for the World All Stars team. He played alongside his brother Tom Burgess.
In October 2016, Sam was named in the England squad for the 2016 Rugby League Four Nations tournament. He was also announced as the new captain under coach Wayne Bennett.
In October 2017, he was selected for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup England squad. Sam became captain for the final game. England lost the final to Australia 6-0. On December 6, 2017, Sam signed a contract extension. This kept him at Souths until the end of 2019.
On September 5, 2018, Sam signed another four-year contract. This meant he would stay with Souths until the end of the 2023 season. Souths were playing very well at this time.
Sam started the 2019 NRL season strongly. Souths won 10 of their first 11 games. After a game in Round 13, Sam was ruled out with a shoulder injury. He needed surgery and a special drip to fight an infection. He was out of play for a while.
Sam returned to play for Souths in Round 20. On August 21, 2019, Sam Burgess was voted one of the best players of the decade in the NRL team of the decade. This team covered the years 2010 to 2019. Famous coaches and Hall of Fame players voted for him.
In Round 25 of the 2019 NRL season, Sam was reported for an incident. He was accused of pulling the hair of an opposing player. Sam was later suspended for one match because of this.
At the end of the 2019 regular season, South Sydney finished third. They qualified for the finals. Sam missed the first final game due to his suspension. He returned for the next game, which Souths won. The following week, Sam played in the preliminary final. South Sydney lost this game.
On October 30, 2019, Sam Burgess had to retire early. This was because of a long-term shoulder injury. He shared a message with his fans. He thanked them for making his career amazing. He said he loved every minute, the good times and the tough times.
Playing Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 |  Bradford Bulls |
9 | 2 | 12 | |
| 2007 | 30 | 3 | 5 | 22 | |
| 2008 | 23 | 8 | 32 | ||
| 2009 | 26 | 4 | 16 | ||
| 2010 |  South Sydney |
22 | 3 | 12 | |
| 2011 | 4 | ||||
| 2012 | 22 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 2013 | 22 | 8 | 32 | ||
| 2014 | 26 | 10 | 40 | ||
| 2016 | 23 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 2017 | 21 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 2018 | 23 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2019 | 19 | 7 | 28 | ||
| Totals | 270 | 61 | 5 | 254 |
Coaching Career
On August 7, 2023, Sam Burgess signed a two-year contract. He became the new head coach for Warrington Wolves for the 2024 Super League season. On August 23, 2023, he left his role as assistant coach for South Sydney.
On June 8, 2024, Sam coached Warrington in the 2024 Challenge Cup final. His team was defeated by Wigan. In his first season, Burgess led Warrington to finish third in the league. They reached the semi-final, where they lost to Hull Kingston Rovers.
Coaching Statistics
| Team | From | To | M | W | D | L | PF | PA | Win% | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrington Wolves | 7 August 2023 | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 461 | 231 | 66.67 |
Hall of Fame
In August 2024, the National Rugby League announced a big honor for Sam Burgess. He was inducted into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame. Sam was given Hall of Fame number 126. He was one of eleven male players chosen for the 2024 Class.
Awards and Achievements
Rugby League Awards
- NRL Winner: 2014
- Clive Churchill Medal Winner: 2014
- George Piggins Medal Winner: 2014
- Jack Rayner Players' Player Award Winner: 2014
- Bob McCarthy Clubman of the Year Award Winner: 2014
- Burrow Appreciation Award Winner: 2014
- 2019: NRL team of the decade member 2010-2019
- National Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee: #126 2024
Rugby Union Awards
- Aviva Premiership Runner-up: 2014/15
Images for kids
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Burgess warming up for England in 2016
