Sam Burgess: I just couldn’t resist union switch

England rugby league star Sam Burgess has agreed to switch codes by joining Bath in a £500,000 transfer, declaring it was “an opportunity I had to pursue”.

Burgess has signed a three-year deal and will move from the South Sydney Rabbitohs in October.

The 25-year-old was a key man for England in the Rugby League World last autumn and now hopes to win a place in Stuart Lancaster’s squad for the Rugby Union World Cup here next year.

Burgess said: “I’m happy this has all been sorted out before the start of the NRL season so that I can concentrate on my game and the team without any other things in the way.

“An opportunity presented itself to head back home to England and to pursue a chance to represent my country in two different sports. With 2015 being a Rugby World Cup, it was an opportunity I had to pursue, and I thank the Rabbitohs for allowing me to make this move and start the next chapter in my sporting career.”

Burgess left Bradford Bulls for the Rabbitohs in 2010 and had three years left on his contract.

He added: “This has been a tough decision to make, as I’ve loved my time in Sydney. However, I’m very excited about the new challenge.”