Many people see Sam Burgess as a revelation, an almost messiah like revelation to a mediocre pantheon of props in the English game.
I find it farcical even “sacra religious” that he mentioned in the same breath as Shane Webcke. Burgess is no way the consummate professional and relentless toiler that Webcke was. Webkce was a warrior in the trenches, a grafter on the field and a comprehensive professional off the pitch.
The thing that concerns me about Burgess is the tackling style that one person on this forum views as similar to SBW.
At eighteen years of age when he has not yet reached his prime-his skeletal frame not yet at its peak the risk of injury remains real if he continues in that vain. The bone jarring shoulder charges which the crowds covet and elevates the hopes of a team does have a detrimental effect on the player utilizing this technique.
Webcke was by no means a spectacular defender but he was effective and efficient.
On attack Steve price doesn’t habitually fend off, swerve, shimmy, bump off many people but like the accomplished trade man that he is, he endow the back line with a solid platform to flourish.
People will point to Andy Farrell who was also young but Farrell at 18 was by no means a potent threat on defense and he often transcended to centre or stand off where there is less “physical collision area time”.
I reserve judgment on Sam Burgess just yet till he reaches his mid twenties. Granted he is a prodigious luminary of the modern game yet potential that remains unrealized is talent wasted.
I hope for the sake of rugby league that he is may be the second coming of the messiah rather than a façade who is the embodiment of Judas.