Newcastlerabbit
Coach
- Messages
- 14,937
David Riccio
The Sunday Telegraph
July 25, 2010 12:01AM
Thriving ... Souths forward Sam Burgess says that the brutal pace of the NRL has made him fitter than ever. Source: The Daily Telegraph
SOUTHS forward Sam Burgess has played down the rigours of the NRL by declaring he's in better shape now than during his four years in the English Super League.
"Mentally I'm feeling great," said Burgess, who is building a reputation as one of the greatest English imports to play rugby league in Australia.
"My body is sore a day after the game but I feel a lot fresher than I did in Super League.
"We played 27 rounds with a Challenge Cup throughout the season in England, so you play 30 games of weekly competition without finals.
"Over here I'm playing maybe six games less a year, which is good.
"We've got seven games plus finals, hopefully."
Burgess, 21, is confident the Rabbitohs can win today's crunch match against the Warriors at ANZ Stadium and go on to reach the finals.
"The signs are there that we're in the running with the top sides," Burgess said.
"We're leading for the majority of games and getting pipped at the post, which is disappointing.
"We shouldn't get down on that because if we knock a few wins off, we'll be all right."
Burgess "loves playing in the big games", which he proved last weekend with a man-of-the-match performance in the narrow loss to St George Illawarra.
And he has no fear of burning out.
"I'm in a good state of mind to kick on and keep going," he said. "I feel individually I'm improving each week. I've just got to keep working hard with the team."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...fresh-as-a-daisy/story-e6frexnr-1225896461428 http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...fresh-as-a-daisy/story-e6frexnr-1225896461428
The Sunday Telegraph
July 25, 2010 12:01AM
Thriving ... Souths forward Sam Burgess says that the brutal pace of the NRL has made him fitter than ever. Source: The Daily Telegraph
SOUTHS forward Sam Burgess has played down the rigours of the NRL by declaring he's in better shape now than during his four years in the English Super League.
"Mentally I'm feeling great," said Burgess, who is building a reputation as one of the greatest English imports to play rugby league in Australia.
"My body is sore a day after the game but I feel a lot fresher than I did in Super League.
"We played 27 rounds with a Challenge Cup throughout the season in England, so you play 30 games of weekly competition without finals.
"Over here I'm playing maybe six games less a year, which is good.
"We've got seven games plus finals, hopefully."
Burgess, 21, is confident the Rabbitohs can win today's crunch match against the Warriors at ANZ Stadium and go on to reach the finals.
"The signs are there that we're in the running with the top sides," Burgess said.
"We're leading for the majority of games and getting pipped at the post, which is disappointing.
"We shouldn't get down on that because if we knock a few wins off, we'll be all right."
Burgess "loves playing in the big games", which he proved last weekend with a man-of-the-match performance in the narrow loss to St George Illawarra.
And he has no fear of burning out.
"I'm in a good state of mind to kick on and keep going," he said. "I feel individually I'm improving each week. I've just got to keep working hard with the team."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...fresh-as-a-daisy/story-e6frexnr-1225896461428 http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...fresh-as-a-daisy/story-e6frexnr-1225896461428
