Burgess asked SBW for advice

Sam Burgess has revealed that he sought advice from Sonny Bill Williams, before making the decision to switch codes.

Burgess will join up with Bath RUFC at the end of the current NRL campaign, with a view to playing for England in next year’s rugby union World Cup.

But before the 25-year-old inked his three-year deal in RU, he made sure that he spoke to the Kiwi superstar about the kind of challenges he might face in the other code.

“We have only talked briefly over in England,” Burgess told reporters in Australia.

“I have always had an ambition to do it but I admire Sonny. I think he is a wonderful athlete and I admire what he has achieved.

“It is unbelievable so I certainly respect that a million per cent but you know I have always had my own sort of ambition to test myself.

“I didn’t think it would come around this quick but these things have happened the way they have.

“I have made my own decisions based on what was going on for me at the time. It has always been my ambition to have a crack but it has come around sooner than I thought.

“If I can get anywhere near what [Sonny] has achieved I’ll be pretty happy. I respect everything he has done.”

Burgess has not ruled out a return to rugby league in the future, but is refusing to look too far ahead at the moment.

“I’d like to think I’d come back at some stage but I don’t have a clue to be honest,” he added.

“I’ll just take it step-by-step and see how it goes.”