Sam Burgess facts for kids
Burgess in 2013 in Sydney
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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 13 July 2025
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| Education | Heckmondwike Grammar School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Luke Burgess (brother) Tom Burgess (brother) George Burgess (brother) |
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Samuel Burgess (born 14 December 1988) is a famous English rugby league coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League. During his playing career, he was known as a strong forward.
Sam played for the Bradford Bulls in England and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia. He helped the Rabbitohs win the 2014 NRL Premiership, which was their first championship in 43 years! Sam was also named the best player in that Grand Final, winning the Clive Churchill Medal. He played for both Great Britain and England on the international stage.
For a short time, Sam switched to playing rugby union for Bath in 2014. He even played for the England national team in 2015. This made him a rare "dual-code international," meaning he played at the highest level in both rugby league and rugby union. He returned to rugby league in 2016. Sam stopped playing professionally on October 30, 2019, because of a shoulder injury.
Contents
About Sam Burgess
Sam Burgess is often called "Slammin' Sam" because of his powerful playing style. He comes from a family of rugby players. His younger brothers, Tom and George, also played professional rugby league. His older brother, Luke, also played in England and Australia.
Early Life and Family
Sam was born on December 14, 1988, in Liversedge, England. His father, Mark Burgess, was also a rugby league player. Sam's mother, Julie, is a teacher. He went to Heckmondwike Grammar School. As a young player, he played for junior rugby clubs like Hunslet Parkside and Dewsbury Moor.
Rugby League Career
Playing for Bradford Bulls
Sam Burgess made his first appearance in the Super League in 2006 for the Bradford Bulls. He quickly became a key player. In 2007, he was named the Young Player of the Year in the Super League. He also played for the Great Britain team against New Zealand, scoring a try. He became well-known for a big tackle he made on New Zealand player Fuifui Moimoi when he was only 19 years old.
In 2009, the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia signed Sam. He was still under contract with the Bradford Bulls, but the clubs agreed on a deal for him to move. Russell Crowe, a famous actor and co-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, helped convince Sam to join his team. He even invited Sam and his mother to the set of his movie Robin Hood. In his last game in the UK, Sam scored two tries for England in the 2009 Four Nations tournament final against Australia.
Playing for South Sydney Rabbitohs
Before playing his first game for South Sydney, Sam played for the NRL All Stars team in 2010. He continued to play for England in international tournaments.
In August 2013, Sam and his three brothers, Luke, Tom, and George, made history. They became the first group of four brothers to play in the same Australian rugby league team 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 playing rugby union at the end of the year. In his final match for South Sydney, Sam played alongside his brothers Tom and George in the 2014 NRL Grand Final against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Even though he broke his cheekbone in the very first tackle of the game, Sam kept playing! His team won the match, and he was given the Clive Churchill Medal as the best player in the Grand Final. He was the first South Sydney player to win this award in 43 years.
Rugby Union Experience
Sam joined Bath Rugby in England in October 2014. His start was delayed because he needed surgery for his broken cheekbone. Many in English rugby union hoped he would be as successful as Sonny Bill Williams, another player who switched between rugby codes.
He scored his first try for Bath in a game against Wasps. In August 2015, Sam was chosen to play for the England national rugby union team. He made his international debut against France. He was also part of England's team for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. However, England did not do well in the tournament.
On November 5, 2015, Sam decided to leave rugby union and return to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Return to Rugby League
Sam rejoined the South Sydney Rabbitohs in November 2015. He was one of the highest-paid rugby league players at the time. In December 2015, he was chosen to play for the World All Stars team alongside his brother Tom.
In October 2016, Sam was named in the England squad for the 2016 Rugby League Four Nations tournament. He was also made the new captain of the England team under coach Wayne Bennett.
In October 2017, he was selected for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. Sam became captain for the final game when the original captain was injured. England lost the final to Australia. Sam signed a new contract with Souths in December 2017, keeping him at the club until the end of 2019. In September 2018, he signed another contract to stay until the end of the 2023 season.
Sam started the 2019 NRL season very well, helping Souths win many games. However, he later had a shoulder injury that needed surgery. He returned to play later in the season.
On August 21, 2019, Sam Burgess was voted as one of the best players of the decade (2010-2019) in the NRL team of the decade. This was decided by a panel of famous coaches and Hall of Fame players.
Sam played his last game in the preliminary final against Canberra. On October 30, 2019, Sam Burgess announced he had to retire from playing due to a long-term shoulder injury. He thanked all the fans and said he loved every moment of his career.
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 to become the new head coach for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League, starting in the 2024 season. Before this, he was an assistant coach for South Sydney but left that role.
In his first season as head coach, Sam led Warrington to a third-place finish in the league. He also coached them in the 2024 Challenge Cup final against Wigan, which they lost. In 2025, he coached Warrington again in the Challenge Cup final, where they narrowly 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 |
Achievements and Awards
Rugby League Honours
- NRL Winner: 2014 (with South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Clive Churchill Medal Winner: 2014 (best player in the NRL Grand Final)
- 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: Member of the NRL team of the decade (2010-2019)
- National Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee: 2024 (number 126)
Rugby Union Honours
- Aviva Premiership Runner-up: 2014/15 (with Bath Rugby)
Personal Life
Sam Burgess married Phoebe Hooke in December 2015. They had a son and a daughter together. They separated in 2019. In October 2024, Sam married Lucy Graham in Rome. They now live in Cheshire, England, and have a daughter.
