{"id":406837,"date":"2026-01-11T19:47:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T19:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/406837\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T19:47:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T19:47:11","slug":"sam-burgess-backs-hybrid-rugby-and-becomes-part-owner-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/406837\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Burgess backs Hybrid Rugby and becomes part-owner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cIt\u2019s about sport and entertainment, and bringing together the two codes could be a bit of fun. It could work out quite well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under modified rules, Hybrid Rugby seeks to accentuate the best aspects of both sports, without disadvantaging players from either code. They include league laws being used when a team is in possession in its own half, then switching to rugby rules when in enemy territory. Tackle counts are disposed of, with a shot clock restricting the attacking side to 60 seconds with the ball on each side of the halfway line.<\/p>\n

\"Sam<\/p>\n

Sam Burgess during his playing days with South Sydney.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Two local footballing nurseries, Barker College in Hornsby and St Gregory\u2019s College in Campbelltown, participated in a hybrid clash in October<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After meeting with Hybrid Rugby boss Paul Franks, Warrington Wolves coach Burgess has taken a stake in the business.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have an interest in it,\u201d Burgess said. \u201cI believe in the concept. In time, I believe it is going to go off. It\u2019s a good opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not an advantage to league or to union. It\u2019s a good balance of the rules for the codes and putting the athleticism and skill on show. I think [international matches] is where it might end up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could see the Kangaroos versus the [Wallabies]; you could do Australia v Australia \u2013 people would want to see that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe good thing is it\u2019s global \u2013 you could see South Africa, the All Blacks. It\u2019s an exhibition-style game \u2013 you could say it compares a bit to T20 in cricket, that style of outside-the-box thinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s worldwide, and you see all sorts of formats breaking off. I think we will see a game in the next year or two at that [international] level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given the RFL allegedly owes the International Rugby League $800,000, stemming from the Rugby League World Cup three years ago, a hybrid game could help English rugby league overcome some of its financial issues. Wembley and Twickenham have been mooted as potential venues capable of hosting a fixture featuring the English league Test side.<\/p>\n

The RFL disputed claims of a debt to the international body in comments made last November.<\/p>\n

Loading<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s an appetite for the English game, especially with rugby league having its challenges,\u201d Burgess said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s another avenue for the game and the players to generate some revenue. England would be a great place to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleary has previously backed the hybrid game and revealed he would be interested in coaching one of the teams should an international be staged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely think there\u2019s an opportunity for both codes to come together and put on some games of substance,\u201d Cleary said late last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also think it\u2019s pretty cool for players of both codes to be able to come and have a foot in each camp. With the pool of talent, maybe there\u2019s a way we can actually coexist.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIt\u2019s about sport and entertainment, and bringing together the two codes could be a bit of fun. It…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":406836,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-406837","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-rugby","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=406837"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406837\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/406836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=406837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=406837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=406837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}