Banned Burgess must wait for England comeback

00:03 - 06 September 2016

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Wayne Bennett will not be able to call upon Sam Burgess for his first game in charge of England against France.

Sam Burgess will not be in contention for England's Test against France next month after the South Sydney Rabbitohs lock was given a one-match ban for tripping.

Burgess was cited for an incident involving Aiden Tolman during the Rabbitohs' final match of the regular NRL season, which they won 28-10 against Canterbury Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium on Friday.

Having taken an early guilty plea, Burgess has now accrued 122 points which results in a one-match suspension and 22 carry over points.

That means that, if selected for England's Four Nations squad, the 27-year-old, who switched codes for the second time to rejoin the Bunnies last November, will not be available to face France in Wayne Bennett's first game in charge of England in Avignon on October 22.

Instead, Burgess, who turned his back on rugby union in November last year after playing for England in the World Cup, could make his league comeback at international level in their Four Nations opener with New Zealand seven days later.