The Rabbitohs welcome the NRL Integrity Unit’s investigation in relation to these allegations and will fully cooperate

The Rabbitohs welcome the NRL Integrity Unit’s investigation in relation to these allegations and will fully cooperate

with the investigation.

“The club is supportive of Sam Burgess’s decision to step down from his role at the club while the NRL Integrity Unit investigation is underway.”

The allegations have also been passed on to New South Wales police, who are looking into the matter.

In a statement, a New South Wales state police spokesperson said: “On Wednesday 30th September officers from the Hume Police District received a report outlining various allegations relating to the conduct of a 31-year-old man.

“Police have commenced inquiries, however as these inquiries are in their infancy there will be no further comment made at this time.”

Following Burgess’s separation from his wife, Phoebe’s father took out an apprehended violence order (AVO) against the rugby league star, with court proceedings connected to the AVO – in which Burgess faces charges of intimidation involving his former father-in-law Mitchell Hooke – due to resume next month.

Burgess is one of the biggest names in rugby league but was forced to retire last year after suffering from a chronic shoulder injury. The forward started his career with Super League outfit Bradford Bulls before securing a move to NRL side Souths in 2010, which proved the first of two spells with the club as he returned following an ill-fated spell in rugby union with Bath and England, which saw him heavily blamed for the poor showing at the 2015 Rugby World Cup following his last-minute selection by Stuart Lancaster.

Burgess won the NRL with Souths in 2014, collecting the Clive Churchill Medal for his man-of-the-match performance in the Grand Final after playing through the pain barrier with a fractured eye socket, and made 24 appearances for England’s rugby league team on top of two more appearances for Great Britain.