Sam Burgess: Former England dual

Mar 05, 2024

Former dual-code England international Sam Burgess will take over as head coach of Warrington Wolves from the 2024 season onwards.

Burgess won 24 England and two Great Britain caps and the National Rugby League title with South Sydney in 2014.

After retiring prematurely because of injury, the 34-year-old coached at Orara Valley and with the Rabbitohs.

Interim boss Gary Chambers will steer the Wire through this season before taking up a director of rugby role.

Burgess described the Wire as an "incredible club" and called his Super League return a "full-circle moment".

He said: "[It's a move] I am fully committed to and excited by.

"I want to thank Simon [Moran], Stuart [Middleton] and Karl [Fitzpatrick] at the Wolves for their courage and collaboration, as I look forward to returning to England to coach this great club."

Burgess has been working on the staff of current Souths head coach Jason Demetriou as an assistant, following his 300-game career in first-grade rugby league both here and in Australia with Bradford and Souths.

The back-rower, who also won five Test caps for England in union during an ill-fated spell with Premiership side Bath, will have ex-Salford and Halifax boss Richard Marshall as an assistant.

"To Russell [Crowe], Blake [Solly], JD [Jason Demetriou] and the stakeholders at South Sydney, thank you for supporting me in taking on this new position," he added.

"We still have an opportunity to play some great football for the remainder of the year and to do so alongside our current staff and squad is my focus."

Warrington chairman Stuart Middleton added: "He is an impressive, young and determined coach with a huge reputation within the sport.

"He was a leader for both club and country at the highest level throughout his playing career and is extremely well-driven to now make his mark as a coach in Super League.

"The ambition he has for the club and the culture he wants to instil really impressed and stood out for us during the interview process. We firmly believe he is the right man to take the club forward."

Dave Woods, BBC Rugby League correspondent

There's no doubting Burgess' standing in the game. And he's been building an impressive embryonic coaching career in Australia since his retirement. Actor Russell Crowe, the man who took Burgess to South Sydney Rabbitohs when he was just 21, invited him to rebuild the New South Wales country side Orara Valley Axemen.

Burgess led them to a Grand Final in his only season and has spoken of the lessons he learned in that process, and since then he's had a key role as an assistant coach at the Rabbitohs.

He's made no secret of wanting to return to the English Super League to take on a head coach's job.

It's a gamble by Warrington. Burgess is untested so far in the hot seat at such a high profile club, and after the last two years of under achievement, the Wolves can't afford to get it wrong again.

But, other NRL assistant coaches have come to England and been a big success. Justin Holbrook, who was Warrington's first choice, amongst them. So picking up Burgess from that breeding ground is not that left-field.

It's been seven decades since Warrington won the title and Burgess will undoubtedly command respect from his new Warrington squad. But only time will tell whether he will be key to unlock that trophy cabinet door.