Stefan Ratchford feels Sam Burgess can thrive at Warrington after England talk
STEFAN Ratchford is ready for Sam-thing different yet weirdly familiar.
Being coached by a younger man he played alongside in Sam Burgess.
But after just one conversation and a few messages, the Warrington skipper is convinced the incoming boss has what it takes.
Just as he did when they made the Rugby League World Cup final together with England in 2017.
Ratchford said: “When you get a bit older, you don’t really look at a coach’s age. You look at the person for what they are and what type of coach they are.
“The way Sam spoke as a player and the way he led people. If he takes that into his coaching, he’ll be a big success.
“With England, when he spoke and had a point to make, because of the level he played at, you knew he was talking sense and you took that on board.
“He’s a really good leader – when he speaks, people listen and take his advice on board and he led by his words and his actions.
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“Any time he delivered a message, it’s a message that would make sense. When you play alongside him, you hang on all he says. You want to go out there and do it as you knew he’d do it.
“I’m sure the lads will be inspired just by the way he talks to go out there and do the job for him.
“People just see the headline and make their own opinions but they don’t know Sam as a person or the type of character he is, they just see what they want to see and make what they want of it.
“It’s a great move for Warrington as a club. It’s great for the game here to someone like Sam over here too.
“He’s had a lot of people give him big raps about his coaching ability and how good it is. There’s a lot of talk about him going back to the NRL as a coach but we’re lucky to have him, not just at Warrington but it’s great for the British game.”
Burgess has been involved with current interim Gary Chambers, who is looking to snap a run of seven straight losses that spelled the end of Daryl Powell.
And after today’s trip to Leeds, you can be sure the current assistant at NRL side South Sydney will have his thoughts.
Yet Ratchford insists spirits are high going into a clash that could shape both sides’ play-off ambitions, adding: “It’s been a disappointing couple of months and we’ve not been playing great.
“But we’ve showed what we can do in patches and having no game last week gave us a chance to refresh our heads.
“It’s almost like a six-game season now in which we’ve got to get things right. Today is a big game and Leeds also have a lot to play for – I’m sure they’ll be saying the same things as us.”