The NRL and South Sydney were rocked by grave allegations made against former Rabbitohs star Sam Burgess on the eve of the final series.
After a four month investigation into various matters outside the field, the Australian newspaper published an exclusive report on Thursday evening.
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It contains claims that South Sydney officials went to great lengths to prevent the public unveiling of the noisy postseason celebrations of the England-born star late in his career.
Burgess attorney Mark O’Brien published a stern rebuttal of allegations in the newspaper addressed to his client last night.
“The allegations are false and represent an unjustifiable defamation against my client,” O’Brien told the newspaper.
“It is evident that the sources of the false allegations are those who are currently arguing with my client about various issues.”
But the rugby league demands answers.
“Souths and Sam Burgess have serious questions to answer today,” said veteran rugby league reporter Danny Weidler. “These details require Burgess and other officials to resign during the investigation.”
England rugby star Burgess joined South Sydney in 2010 and quickly became one of the game’s leading strikers. He made a significant contribution to the success of the Rabbitohs in 2014 and won the Clive Churchill Medal as best player in the grand final.
He left the sport for rugby union in 2015 and was part of the disastrous World Cup campaign in England before returning to the rugby league in 2016.
Named one of the best players of the 2010-2019 decade, Burgess battled shoulder injuries late in his career before medically retiring at the end of the 2019 season.
It saw intensified scrutiny of his personal life, including a messy breakup with the now estranged Mrs. Phoebe. The couple split in 2018 but reconciled in early 2019 before finally breaking up in October 2019.
Following the split, Burgess was hit by an arrest order of violence following an alleged argument in Bowral with Phoebe’s father, Mitchell Hooke.
Burgess has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing.
His attorney Bryan Wrench told the court in November 2019 that the allegations were “false,” but the AVO was upheld on the case, which is due to be heard in November.
Two weeks ago, Burgess, who has taken on a role as development coach with the Rabbitohs under the guidance of Souths trainer Wayne Bennett, was linked with a possible return to the NRL.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs were asked to comment.
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