European Champions Cup: Sam Burgess says he learned a lot from his full debut with Bath

Sam Burgess says he learned a lot from his full rugby union debut, as he helped Bath gain a 32-12 European Champions Cup win over Montpellier at the Recreation Ground.

The rugby league convert was overshadowed in the game by Matt Banahan, who scored three tries in the bonus-point win as Bath kept their hopes of a place in the last-eight alive.

Burgess, who joined from Australian NRL champions South Sydney Rabbitohs earlier this year, played the full 80 minutes at inside centre after featuring as a substitute in his first two appearances with Bath.

The 25-year-old admits he is still coming to grips with switching codes but, while he said he has plenty to work on, he said he was encouraged by his performance overall.

"I felt okay," Burgess said. "I don't want to say disappointed, but I think there are a lot of things I can get better at, which is expected.

"I have still got plenty to work on. There are a lot of different aspects of the game that I am enjoying learning and working out. I am pleased with my first start.

"I didn't feel too bad positionally, it is more finding the right position in terms of getting on the ball, and at the breakdown I can be better at that. It is not quite instinct yet.

"I will learn a lot from tonight. I have been trying to ask as many questions as possible, and I have spent a lot of time with a lot of different people, players and coaches.

“Everyone is very willing with their time. I will keep working on the simple things, and the rest hopefully will naturally come."

Risk

Bath head coach Mike Ford revealed he was also considering giving Burgess 20 minutes in the back row in the second half but felt the game was too close to risk the move.

Ford was keen to emphasise after the game that this game was merely one of the first steps in Burgess’ transition and he said the club are prepared to be very patient while he learns the game.

"This game would have accelerated his learning,” Ford said. "It is a couple of months away before you start seeing the real Sam Burgess, but what he has done so far has been fantastic.

"We are ready for the criticism, what he can't do and how it is too early for him. We have got our heads screwed on, and we know what we are doing.

"The plan was to put him in the back-row for the last 20 minutes tonight, and maybe if we had played better in the first-half we could have done that, but the game was too tight, so I kept him where he is.

"He will probably be on the bench against Gloucester next Saturday, and then there is an A team game after that and he will probably play the full 80 in that.

"He is on the right line, he is loving it and he is learning all the time. Let him learn the game, and we will do that by playing him."