SAM Burgess spoke about staying true to the words on his father’s gravestone when he became the first Englishman to be inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame yesterday.

The Warrington Wolves head coach, who has made a flying visit to Australia this week to receive his award, shared his heartfelt story on stage during the prestigious ceremony at the Sydney Cricket Ground – while his mum Julie watched on in tears.

Brutal and monstrous on the field, Burgess left Bradford Bulls in 2009 and moved Down Under where he became a South Sydney Rabbitohs superstar and guided them to Premiership glory in 2014.

His brothers Luke, Tom and George all followed suit in carving out NRL careers in the ensuing years and he was asked by ceremony host Yvonne Sampson about rugby league and family going hand in hand for him.

“I grew up in a rugby league family – my mum’s in the room tonight,” he said.

“Both my mother and father (Mark) played. I used to watch my mum rain, hail or shine and she was a fantastic player.

“My dad was brutal and strong, so I guess this is a bit of recognition to our service to the game as an Englishman and I’m proud to be inducted.

Sam Burgess is interviewed on stage by Yvonne Sampson during the NRL Hall of Fame induction ceremonySam Burgess is interviewed on stage by Yvonne Sampson during the NRL Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Image: X/NRL/FoxSports)

“Rugby league is all family. Everyone knows everyone and we all respect each other because it’s extremely hard whatever role you play in the game.

“I’ll share a story with you. We lost my father when I was 18 and on my father’s gravestone we wrote as young men ‘You’re legacy will live strong through us dad’.

“My brothers and I had a group chat and we shared that, with this news (Burgess’ NRL Hall of Fame induction) this is a great little legacy that may live on, so we stayed true to our word as young men and long may it continue.”

Burgess said he was thrilled when he received the call to say he would be the 126th player to be inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame.

“I’m coaching at the minute in Super League for Warrington Wolves and the weight of this (his induction) in the game in the UK has been phenomenal,” he said.

“I came here as a 21-year-old man to leave my mark on the game.

“I believed in the sport, I loved the sport.

“I never really saw myself as a skilful player, as a great player, especially in the class of the players who are being inducted today.

“I had a bit of belief in myself and I really worked hard at my craft and I enjoyed the physicality side of the game. That’s slowly fading its way out of the game these days but I really enjoyed it.

“I think everyone’s challenge is to reach their potential.

“I’ve listened to a lot of the players in the room and hard work gets a lot of players there.

“And I think that was always my challenge – I wanted to get to my best and be the best I could for my teammates, coaches and the people who believed in me.”

Another rugby league hard man, Les Boyd, left a colourful career in his Australia homeland behind to rebuild himself with Warrington Wolves, where he became a club legend.

He steered The Wire to a famous Premiership Trophy success over champions Halifax at Elland Road, Leeds, in 1986, scoring two tries in a man-of-the-match performance that earned him the Harry Sunderland Trophy.

He was also inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame yesterday, along with Greg Inglis who attempted a comeback from retirement with The Wire in 2021 but injury left him only able to pull on the shirt three times.

Watch their NRL Hall of Fame inductions below: