Rugby World Cup: England’s Sam Burgess selection blunder

BIG Sam Burgess has become the Big Topic with the Rugby World Cup kick-off less than two weeks away — the question is will he be a big flop.

BAGSHOT, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 03: Sam Burgess passes the ball during the England training session held at Pennyhill Park on September 3, 2015 in Bagshot, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

TWO weeks ago, 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward said he wouldn’t pick Sam Burgess for this year’s tournament — but he thought current coach Stuart Lancaster would.

As he likes to think is always the case, Sir Clive was right.

“Sam Burgess is going to be a very important player for England in 12 months’ time,” he said. “Just not now. I don’t think you can risk him in a World Cup.”

It is a feeling a lot of English rugby followers — journalists in particular — share.

Big Sam has become the Big Topic with the tournament kick-off less than two weeks away.

Over the past few months you’d swear Lancaster wasn’t going to pick a 31-man squad. Just one. Burgess.

Would he or wouldn’t he? Should he or shouldn’t he?

According to certain sections of the press, he definitely shouldn’t. One said Sam’s first Test start in a warm-up against France was “undeserved”. Another described his only previous representative match, for England B against Ireland B, as “an embarrassment”.

But ask other England hopefuls and they were of the opinion that they couldn’t imagine going into the World Cup without him.

He had this aura, see. He was a leader. He only had to walk into a room and you knew this was a man you wanted beside you in the trenches.

Yeah, but could he play rugby?

Well, nobody was too sure.

Against France, he showed he could. To a degree. He’d certainly made enormous strides since the Ireland B match (I was there, and it was embarrassing).

He put on a couple of thumping tackles, although anyone who had seen him play for the Rabbitohs would know that if you run straight at Sam Burgess, you are going to get flattened. He was part of a neat run-around set move which resulted in a try, although once again, it was nothing he hadn’t done in the 13-man game.

What he did do that he never had to do for the Bunnies, was go in hard and low at the breakdown and ensure the ball, or the scrum feed, came England’s way.

That, in itself, was a victory.

As he told me after the match, “Leaving one sport that you think you know inside out and starting all over again, it’s frustrating, I’m not going to lie, but I’m sticking with it and enjoying the challenge.”

But is that what England supporters want from a member of their World Cup squad? A player who is “sticking with it” and “enjoying the challenge”.

I think I’d prefer someone who knew instinctively what to do in any situation, without having to think about it. Someone who can turn and change direction without looking like the Queen Mary.

Obviously Lancaster doesn’t see Burgess as one of his starting centres. He might give him a run against Uruguay, but what if something goes wrong?

What if there are a few injuries and Big Sam is suddenly thrust into the front line against Wales or Australia?

I reckon I know one person who wouldn’t mind too much if that scenario came to life.

Yesterday I was talking to Wallaby coach Michael Cheika, who is a mate of Sam’s. I asked him if they’d spoken since Lancaster named his squad.

“No, I’ll see him in England,” he said.

Hopefully on the field at Twickenham.