Burgess: “My heart wasn’t in it”

Sam Burgess has opened up on his time playing rugby union after his return to Australia, coming to the conclusion that his ‘heart wasn’t in it’.
The rugby league convert endured a frantic stint in the 15-man game with position switches, a fast track into the Senior England setup and following that scrutiny from media and former players.
Burgess, who last week called time on his 12 months in union and returned to South Sydney Rabbitohs, said: “”No matter what I did, I always felt I was fighting a losing battle.
“A lot of people outside the England camp had an agenda against both England and in some circumstances, me.”
“Some ex-players just kept letting rip. It’s almost like they don’t want anyone else to do well in the jersey. I didn’t want to stay in a sport like that,” Burgess said, in reference to criticism he faced after the 28-25 defeat to Wales at Twickenham.
Despite feeling withdrawn from union, the former Bath centre/flanker refused to heap the blame on England head coach Stuart Lancaster for his immediate rise and fall since making his debut for the Red Rose in August.
Named International Rugby League Player of the Year for 2014, Burgess revealed his content at getting back to a sport more in his nature: “I want to spend the rest of my career playing the game that’s in my heart. What makes me love rugby [league] is the physical battle of it; I never found myself reaching that point [in union].”