Sam Burgess set to end his career in NRL

Sam Burgess will not back a return to rugby union after he signed a four-year extension with South Sydney.

Despite being on contract until the end of 2019, Burgess has committed to the club until the end of 2023.

Burgess said the deal would be the last of his career and he intended to hang up his boots at its conclusion when he will be 34 years old. “I’d like to leave the game while I’m still playing good football. I don’t want to play if I’m not doing the club justice and I’m not doing the right thing by the team.”

Burgess previously played for Bradford Bears in the English Super League before signing for Souths in 2010. Burgess switched to rugby union in 2014 with Premiership side Bath and became a dual-code international when called up to England’s squad for the 2015 World Cup.

“Putting it into words, I couldn’t do it justice,” Burgess said, when asked what the club meant to him. “South Sydney gave me an opportunity as a young kid and little did I know nine years ago not only the impact it would have on my life, but my family’s life.

The 29-year-old will leave all forms of competitive rugby at the conclusion of the the newly-agreed contract, which expires in 2023.