With the Rugby League World Cup finally on the horizon, Englishman Tom Burgess has admitted that the desire to achieve success not just for his country, but his family, is driving his motivation heading into the tournament.
Hailing from a family rich in rugby talent, 30-year-old Tom is the last remaining of the four Burgess brothers to have an active rugby career heading into his third World Cup as England take on Samoa on Saturday.
Speaking to The Age ahead of England's first match, Burgess admitted that losing to Australia in the 2017 World Cup final still hurt, but served as motivation heading into this year's tournament.
“It is crazy to think that it's the third time I've been in a World Cup, and it's certainly not an achievement I take for granted,” he said.
“I didn't really give it much thought until someone mentioned it lately but with each World Cup, I've been at a different stage in my career and in my life. In 2013, I was 21 and just off the back of my first year in the NRL. I guess I was just happy to be there, on reflection.
“But 2017 hurt. We had a real shot at winning it and we fell agonisingly close. But this year, as a player, I feel the most prepared I've ever been for a World Cup. I'm excited at how this group has come together.
“2017 still hurts me, it haunts you, and it probably always will.
“I don't think I've ever watched it back fully, the entire game. I just can't do it. It was there for the taking and we just weren't as clinical as we could have been. Everyone tried their arses off in that tournament but the big thing for me was we had a bond as a group and that was a big part in getting us as far as we did. I see that again in this group too.”
Dewsbury-born Burgess is looking forward to playing a World Cup on home soil and injecting some excitement back into the English rugby landscape, but is also keen to deliver something that none of the Burgess brothers have managed in their careers, a Rugby League World Cup win.
“I keep thinking back to 2013, the last World Cup and how the whole country got behind England … rugby league felt enormous,” he said.
“I'm excited about feeling that again this year. I want to inject a bit of a shot of life into rugby league in this country because it took a bit of a hit with Covid and other stuff and to give English rugby league fans something to cheer would mean a lot to me.
"Success with England is maybe the one thing we haven't achieved, and the pinnacle of the game for me is still international rugby.
“It's right near the top of my to-do list, to get some success with England. The last time I was here and we beat New Zealand in the Test series in 2018, that is still one of my best memories in the game. To replicate that success in a World Cup would mean everything.”
England begin their campaign against Samoa, scheduled for 12:30am on Sunday, October 15 (AEDT).
