Burgess out of All Stars game

South Sydney full-back Greg Inglis has revealed that his club-mate Sam Burgess is unlikely to play for the NRL All Stars against the Idigenous All Stars on February 13.

The game at Suncorp Stadium was expected to be Burgess’s first rugby league run out since his return from an ill-fated spell in English rugby union.

“No, he’s not playing in that [All Stars Game]. We’re just easing him back and he’s pulled out of that,” Inglis told Fairfax Media.

“Sammy knows his body better than anyone else so if he doesn’t feel like he’s up to it well then he’s not up to it.”

Inglis is also convinced that Burgess will return to the 13-man code as a better player than when he left league.

“I think with the experience that he’s had leaving the game and coming back, I think he knows in himself that this is what he wants,” Inglis added.

“It’s like any player that goes away from a different environment and ends up going back and realises what they’ve lost and I think Sam’s realised that.

“That’s made him a better player. He’s a great leader. He was always a great leader off the field and even on the field.

“We have a lot of young blokes here and I think having Sammy here will help a lot of the young forwards.”