South Sydney Rabbitohs have signed Sam Burgess into their junior system for 2026 – yes, you read that right.
Burgess is one of the modern day greats for the Rabbitohs after inspiring them to an historic NRL Premiership title in 2014, winning the Clive Churchill Medal following his heroics in that year’s Grand Final.
He retired at the end of 2019 and began a coaching career with the Rabbitohs, before making the switch to Super League at the start of the 2024 season to sign with Warrington Wolves.
He remains in England to this day and is preparing for a third season as a Super League head coach – but his legacy clearly lives on Down Under, it seems!
That is according to reports in Australia, because a player with the exact same name and who plays in the same position has just made his debut for the club’s developmental side last week.
It is a remarkable story and one that could almost only happen in rugby league. The 15-year-old from New Zealand marked his first Souths appearance with a try too, as the Rabbitohs played in a Harold Matts trial match against Manly Sea Eagles.
According to the report from Wide World of Sports, Souths see a ‘big future’ for the teenager – and with his name being of such huge standing, it’s perhaps no surprise why.
He will continue in the age grades at the NRL side as he looks to move to a position where he could make his NRL debut in the years ahead and follow in the footsteps of the very first Sam Burgess, who went on to become one of the greatest players British rugby league has ever seen and one of Souths’ finest stars of all-time.
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