Sam Burgess returns to training with Bath as NRL talk continues
Monday 2 November 2015 15:32, UK
Sam Burgess returned to training at Bath on Monday amid continued speculation he could return to rugby league.
Burgess was given some time off by Bath coach Mike Ford following the World Cup where his inclusion in an England squad that failed to emerge from the pool stage divided opinion.
He started the defeat against Wales but was dropped for the vital follow-up against Australia and omitted from the matchday squad altogether for the final pool clash against Uruguay when England's qualification chances had gone.
Coach Stuart Lancaster's decision to play Burgess at centre was also questioned when he had spent the majority of his first season in club rugby as a blindside flanker.
Ford revealed Burgess "didn't quite feel right" upon his return to club duty and the 26-year-old is understood to be considering a return to league with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
His brother, England league star Tom, said on Sunday that union was "pushing away" the convert.
"It's a big tournament I suppose and they were very upset about the outcome, so they're going to talk about it for years," he said.
"Speaking truthfully, he was probably treated a bit unfairly in my opinion, and that's probably what's pushing him away at the moment.
"He's had a week or 10 days off, that Mike Ford gave him to refresh him a little bit mentally, and he'll assess his options.
"He's not made any decision as yet, at the moment he's still with Bath."
