BY JOHN DAVIDSON
Sam Burgess believes this year England has the best chance it’s ever had to end its 55-year drought and win back the Ashes.
England or Great Britain have not beaten Australia and won the rugby league Ashes since 1970.
But with England’s strength in depth and players currently available, as well as the home conditions, Burgess is confident about the opportunity for his homeland at the end of 2025.
“I think it’s the best chance we’ve ever had, I really do,” he told the Rivalry Reignited podcast.
“I think it’s as established England side as you’ll see. We’ve got a brilliant forward pack, we’ve got so much versatility now in the outside backs as well.
“In the past we might have had a couple of strike centres, or we couldn’t match them in the kicking game in some areas. Now, if Harry Smith is playing in the halves there, we’ve got Mikey Lewis there, obviously in the other halves we’ve got George Williams.
“We’ve got Herbie Farnworth, he’s amazing, in the centres, we’ve got Jake Wardle who’s an amazing player, we’ve got Harry Newman, we’re starting to get some real depth in the outside back.
“There’s Dom Young, who’s playing out there, there’s a plethora of wingers who play in the competition here. Then there’s Jack Welsby at fullback, we’ve got versatility of players we can rotate on the bench that will cover utililty, middle and edge.”
Burgess played 24 times for England and twice for Great Britain. The former forward never beat the Kangaroos in an Ashes series.
“You need a solid back five, you really need a solid back five,” he said.
“Then you need a couple of halves who can manage you around with a great kicking game. Well, England have got all that.
“We’ve got strike everywhere. So there’s a great opportunity.”
England and the Kangaroos will lock horns at Wembley, Bramley Moore Dock and Headingley in a three-Test series in October and November.
Burgess feels home advantage will also suit England.
“That time of year the conditions will suit the English style,” he said.
“A couple of these trade secrets will stack things in England’s favour. The cold, you can’t tell me it won’t be cold at that time of the year.
“The Aussies don’t quite understand that.”
