Mike & George Ford have landed an incredible father/son combo on Sammy Burgess’s jaw. To receive this kind of criticism from a rugby league legend like Ford has clearly hurt Sam’s feelings.
Mike;
"As he made plain in his newspaper column, Burgess was dissatisfied at starting the prospect of being employed blindside flanker, where the 26-year-old felt he needed another 18 months to get up to Test standard, after starting as centre for England
If that could be construed as an attack on Ford then the Bath head coach responded with a critique of his own. “All I know is that he didn’t have the stomach to see out his contract,” Ford said. “For me this was the time to roll his sleeves up and become the player that I thought he could be – and he chose not to."
George
Fly-half George also weighed in, adding: "I’m massively disapppointed. I thought he was a guy who was going to have a go and stick it out. It all happened quickly but as players we expected him to stay here and he’s not.
"He said his heart wasn’t in the game, he’s a better rugby league player and he misses his family. He signed a three-year deal and I think you know at the time what you are doing when you do that. If you commit to the club you commit to that set of players, staff and fans.
"There are lads here who would die for the club - those lads who have come through the academy, and other lads like me who have been here for two or three years and are passionate about it.
“The lads who would die for this club sacrificed a lot for Sam when he came over and committed to him and put time and effort into making him the player he was at the back end of last year when he was named in that World Cup squad. I feel for those lads.”
"One thing I would say: nothing ever gets given to you. Nothing is ever easy. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
“To become a world-class player in rugby union, you’ve got to put in the hard graft and it does take time. It doesn’t come overnight. It’s just whether you want to do it or not.”