Sam Burgess: Former England international denies drug use following arrest in Sydney | Rugby League News

Sam Burgess: “I deny any suggestion I have drugs in my system. I have not consumed, obtained, or possessed any illicit drugs. I have made positive improvements to my life and to my driving since my full licence was returned to me following a 10-month loss of licence.”

Sam Burgess is assistant coach at South Sydney Rabbitohs

Former England international Sam Burgess denied consuming any drugs following reports that he had been arrested after failing a random drug test in Sydney.

Burgess, who represented England in both rugby league and union and enjoyed a high-profile career in the NRL, was taken to Maroubra police station after failing the drug test, according to Australian media reports.

The former South Sydney Rabbitohs captain, who is now their assistant coach, was also given a court notice for allegedly driving with a suspended licence.

“After being pulled over on the morning of Thursday, December 22 by an unmarked police car, an initial roadside drug test was taken, which showed positive to cocaine,” Burgess said in a statement on Instagram.

“A court date was issued for driving with a suspended licence.

Burgess retired from rugby league in 2019 due to injury

“After I was released from the police station, I immediately and voluntarily went to an independent, internationally accredited testing facility and undertook a urine test. The urine sample returned a negative result to all illicit drugs.

“I deny any suggestion I have drugs in my system. I have not consumed, obtained, or possessed any illicit drugs.

“I have made positive improvements to my life and to my driving since my full licence was returned to me following a 10-month loss of licence. I have undertaken road safety courses and since then I have not incurred any demerit points or any fines.

“I am clean and sober from drugs, living a happy, healthy, and balanced life.”

Burgess, 34, has had issues with the law in Australia since retiring in 2019 due to a chronic shoulder injury.

In May last year, he was fined more than A$1,000 (£550) but spared conviction after pleading guilty to drug driving.

He was found guilty of intimidating his former wife’s father by a magistrate’s court in 2021, but the conviction was overturned following an appeal.