Sam Burgess and Luke 4 Nation Selections
19th October 2009
Rabbitohs player Issac Luke and future Rabbitoh Sam Burgess have scored Test match victories in the past week for New Zealand and England respectively, in the lead up to the Four Nations tournament being played in England and France over the next month.
Luke played against the Tongans last week in Rotorua, New Zealand, with the Kiwis picking up a 40-24 win over their enthusiastic rivals. Luke set up a vital try for the Kiwis with a clever dart from dummy half and deft inside ball to captain Benji Marshall to score under the posts. Luke is part of the Kiwis squad which has ventured to the UK and France for the Four Nations tournament.
Sam Burgess played a starring role playing lock-forward when England smashed Wales 48 points to 12 at Bridgend in Wales on Saturday night. Burgess scored one of England’s nine tries in the match, with his performance being described as the “pick of the England forward pack.” New Zealand’s Fuifui Moimoi has also described Burgess as “big and scary” in an interview posted on the official Four Nations website. The two famously clashed back in 2007 at Huddersfield’s Galpharm Stadium when an 18-year-old Burgess, making his international debut, put in a challenge on Moimoi that left the New Zealander concussed and, supposedly, unable to eat solids for a week. Moimoi said: “It was a good game and he’s a good player is Burgess, a big boy too. I’m looking forward to playing against him in this tournament and glad I’ve got some good youngsters in our squad to back me up. “He’s a big and scary guy. He’s very strong and a talented kid. I’m looking forward to seeing him play.” Although the two will face each other next season in the NRL now that Burgess has signed with the Rabbitohs, the two will first reacquaint themselves at the Galpharm Stadium on Saturday 7 November when England take on the World Champions in their third and final Four Nations group game. Burgess is expected to come head-to-head with his future 2010 team mate Issac Luke in that same match, both sides’ final Four Nations Test match in the lead up to the final of the tournament