Former NRL star Sam Burgess will make his first start for his English rugby union club Bath in Friday night’s European Champions Cup clash against Montpellier.
Burgess will line up at inside centre – the position England coach Stuart Lancaster wants to see him play – in the home fixture after two appearances off the bench since recovering from the fractured cheekbone suffered playing for South Sydney in the NRL grand final win in early October.
The 25-year-old will be partnered in midfield by Jonathan Joseph as Bath look for a quickfire return Pool Four victory over Montpellier after beating them 30-5 in France last Friday.
Burgess’s competitive rugby union career so far totals around 50 minutes, but he is already being touted as a contender for England in this season’s Six Nations Championship.
“Sam getting more game-time is a massive bonus for us,” Bath head coach Mike Ford said.
“He is going to be our enforcer, with the way he defends. We’re pleased where he is.
“It’s a bit disappointing that it has been raining in both games he came on in (against Harlequins and Montpellier) because we didn’t have much chance to use him. But what he has done, he’s done well so far.”
A week before that tournament starts, England’s seconds, the Saxons, will face the Irish Wolfhounds in Cork, and it is thought Burgess is likely to make the Saxons squad for that January 30 encounter.
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