Sam Burgess’s lawyer says ‘false allegations’ behind interim AVO

The lawyer for Sam Burgess told a NSW court “false allegations” are behind an interim AVO taken out on behalf of his father-in-law.

Sam Burgess’s father-in-law falsely accused the recently retired NRL star of intimidation, a NSW court has been told.

The former South Sydney captain, who announced his retirement a week ago, is accused of intimidating Mitchell Hooke in October.

An interim apprehended domestic violence order, taken out on Burgess on Mr Hooke’s behalf, is based on “false allegations”, Burgess’s lawyer Bryan Wrench told Moss Vale Local Court today.

“There was no violence, no intimidation and no threats,” Mr Wrench said of the alleged October 19 incident at Glenquarry, south of Sydney.

“So far as an interim order is in place, we make no admissions and make denials.

“We know not to contact him especially when ... he made false allegations made about that day.”

Police have also charged Burgess, 30, with intimidation over the alleged Glenquarry incident.

No one was injured in the incident.

Magistrate Mark Douglass adjourned the interim AVO to December 18, when the charge will be mentioned in court for the first time.

Police served a brief of evidence, containing two statements, on Mr Wrench in court.

Burgess, an England and Great Britain international, announced his retirement on October 30, having failed to recover from a chronic shoulder injury that forced him to miss the current Lions tour of New Zealand.

He played 182 games for Souths and was Clive Churchill Medallist despite suffering a facial fracture in their drought-breaking 2014 NRL grand final win.

Sam Burgess was forced into early retirement because of a shoulder problem.