Former England dual international Barrie-Jon Mather fully expects Sam Burgess to be a success at the Rugby World Cup – but not in 2015.
Mather was the first player to represent England at rugby having played league at international level for Great Britain when he faced Wales in 1999 – and recently took up a role with the NSWRL as general football manager.
The 41-year-old started his career with Wigan, playing rugby until he was 18 and enjoying a two-year spell with the Western Reds in Perth.
He was then persuaded to move across to rugby by England coach Clive Woodward in 1998 in a sustained period of cross-code player poaching by the English Rugby Union (RFU).
Mather admits he found it hard to adjust and said it would be almost impossible for Burgess to be ready to play in next year’s World Cup in England given he’ll only link up with Bath this October when South Sydney complete their NRL season.
“Sam will make it; he’s got all the skills,” Mather said.
“But it takes a long time to learn. I loved playing league because it’s an easy game and, if something is not right, you can sort it out yourself.”
Burgess is believed to have been earmarked to play at inside-centre for England and Mather said he’ll find it a world of difference from playing in the front-row in league.
“Where he would be playing, he’d be depending on a lot of people getting him the ball at the right time and it is lot harder to correct mistakes,” he said.
“It will be hard for him to have an immediate impact.”
Mather won his first and only England rugby cap in his first season after making the switch, but said he was a much better player in his second year – but never had the chance to add to his collection.
“I was in the right time at the right place when I got my call-up as there were a lot of injuries,” he said.
“But I was a much better player after playing a full season the following year – and I had played rugby up until I was 18.
“Sam is going to have to play a full NRL season, less than a full rugby season for Bath and then play in a World Cup – it’s a big ask.
“I think he will crack it, but the 2019 World Cup is a more realistic target – but whether or not he will still want to be playing that long is only a question he can answer.”
