Warrington Wolves’ George Williams discusses how Sam Burgess has come up short.
The England captain, 29, is working with his old international teammate again when Sam Burgess took up the Warrington head coach post, but he’s still doing the hard work.
George Williams said that Sam Burgess will not go the extra mile for Warrington, but the fact that he went 42 says a lot.
Wolves fans are excited to see what the legendary ex-England captain can bring to the club as head coach. Williams is already familiar with the fearsome forward, having played with him in Tests.
However, he revealed Burgess, who resigned in 2019 at the age of 30 owing to a severe shoulder problem, demonstrated firsthand at their tough pre-season Army camp.
After being put through their paces by former SAS: Who Dares Wins main instructor Ant Middleton, Williams stated, “We ran approximately 70K [43 miles] in 36 hours. I believe he did 68K himself. He was with us for the majority of it.
“It just proves that he’s with us. I knew he would be, but other boys quickly realized how committed he is, and he still has it, doesn’t he? We did a little more. He abandoned us as we were in the water portions! That extra few kilometers hasn’t been stated yet. However, I was very impressed by
In his decorated playing career, Burgess, 35, was renowned for his defensive toughness. Current England captain Williams knows big-spending Warrington need plenty of that if they are ever going to end a near-70 year-long quest for an elusive league title. And Wolves face a tough Super League opener at beaten Grand Finalists Catalans in a fortnight.
Williams said: “We have focused a lot on our defence. The last few years we’ve leaked too many points to win the big games. The best defensive teams win the comp’.
“We’ve got a lot of learning to do as in the last couple of years we’ve been good when it’s on our terms: a front-foot team. But any adversity and we seem to buckle so that’s what Sam will bring. Some grit and buy-in.”
He said: “He’s not long retired. He still has the same banter, a good laugh but he’s good with people and understands when it’s time to work.
“Playing alongside Sam was unreal. He was my England captain and was a great leader and great with people. When you meet him, he’s got an aura about him and when he speaks, you listen. In meetings, everyone’s clued in and he demands certain standards.
“Last year was shocking, we know that. But this is a new step for us and a new leaf. It’s exciting. I know what it takes to win. I’ve been there. And I’ll be striving to do it every day.”
