Leinster Lose Te'o to Worcester

Worcester have signed the New Zealand-born centre Ben Te’o from Leinster for next season. The 28-year-old, who qualifies to play for England, left the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team in June 2014 and has now agreed a lucrative move to the Premiership.

Worcester are understood to have fought off strong competition for Te’o, a statement of intent as they continue their battle for top-flight stability.

In rugby league Te’o enjoyed a fine career with the Australian sides Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos and the Rabbitohs – the latter with whom he won the National Rugby League title alongside Sam Burgess.

Auckland-born Te’o represented Samoa in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, scoring twice in his sole appearance against France, while he also featured seven times for Queensland in the Australian State of Origin series.

“Ben is a really exciting talent and has proved he is more than capable of transferring his skills from league to union,” the Worcester director of rugby, Dean Ryan, said. “His experience and power in the centre will add further depth to our midfield and we’re looking forward to him joining up with the side.”

Te’o said: “Worcester are in a very similar stage in their playing and cultural development that I found when I first joined the Rabbitohs. I look forward to making a similar contribution at Sixways.

“The investment in facilities and infrastructure is impressive and after speaking with Dean Ryan, it is clearly a club which is on the up. Everything is in place for Worcester to become a successful club competing in the top tier.”

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Rabbitohs Confirm Burgess Comeback

Returning South Sydney star Sam Burgess will mark his NRL comeback by lining up to floor club captain Greg Inglis. The Rabbitohs confirmed Burgess’ new contract was ratified by the governing body late on Saturday night, paving the way for his anticipated return to the 13-man code.

“The Rabbitohs are pleased to inform members that Sam Burgess’ contract has been registered by the NRL this week,” the club said in a statement. “Sam will play in the red and green of the Rabbitohs until at least the end of the 2018 season.”

For the first time since agreeing to terms with the club last month, the 27-year-old joined his old teammates in a training camp at Coffs Harbour this week. However his first outing won’t be in the famed cardinal and myrtle. The 2014 Clive Churchill medallist will instead be in a World All Stars strip when they take on the Indigenous All Stars at Suncorp Stadium in February.

On the other side of the pitch will be clubmates Inglis, Alex Johnston and Chris Grevsmuhl. Burgess’s brother Tom was picked on the bench by World All Stars coach Wayne Bennett. Fellow Englishman James Graham, who is slated to start alongside Sam, welcomed his countryman back to rugby league with open arms and predicted a quick return to form.

“It’s only been 12 months out of the game, I can’t see why too much would have changed,” Graham said last week. “I caught up with him a few times back in England and am delighted to have him back in the game to be honest. The year he left we lost three of the best five players in the game at the time so to get at least one of those back is great. He’s a superstar, he puts bums on seats and makes people tune in.”

The Rabbitohs also confirmed the re-signing of promising youngster Angus Crichton until the end of 2018, as well as the recruitment of Melbourne centre Hymel Hunt on a one-year deal. South Sydney’s pre-season schedule includes games against St George Illawarra, Northern Pride and a World Club Challenge against St Helens. 

Their opening game of the 2016 season is against arch rivals Sydney Roosters on March 6.

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Burgess Sydney Return Against Roosters

Sam Burgess’s return to South Sydney and the NRL will kick off against arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters in front of a potential sell-out Sunday afternoon crowd at Allianz Stadium on 6 March.

In an effort to boost crowd numbers the NRL has announced a number of big Sunday afternoon games in Sydney, scheduled for the family-friendly 4pm timeslot.

“We have certainly made an effort to ensure that some of our best match-ups and blockbusters are in family-friendly timeslots,” the NRL’s head of football Todd Greenberg said.

“Whilst I don’t want to give too much away, we will have a number of strong Sydney derbies on Sundays through the opening rounds of the Telstra Premiership.”

The NRL will release the draw for the 2016 season this week, however the governing body has already confirmed a number of Sunday blockbusters for the 4pm timeslot.

The southern derby of the Sharks and Dragons will headline the second round in the harbour city, while the Dragons will take Souths to the SCG in round three and host Penrith in round four. The battle of the west will play out as Parramatta host Penrith in round five.

Crowd figures dropped to an average of 15,074 last season, their lowest figure since 2004. On average, they dropped more than 800 fans per match on 2014, and were almost 1,500 fans down than in 2005 on average.

Sydney clubs particularly struggled, with the Wests Tigers, Manly, Penrith and Cronulla all failing to average above 12,000 people per match.

Elsewhere, the Eels will reportedly host Brisbane in the first Thursday night match of the season, while the Cowboys look set to begin their premiership defence on a Saturday night to appease their regional supporter base.

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Cooper Returns to McKenzie's Gold

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Quade Cooper returns to the Wallabies starting side at fly-half on his home turf against the Springboks at Lang Park on Saturday.

Israel Folau has been switched to full-back replacing Jesse Mogg who drops back to the bench.

Cooper replaces Brumbies rookie Matt Toomua after starting on the bench in the past two Test losses against the All Blacks.

It will be the first time Cooper has worn the number 10 jersey since the Wallabies defeated South Africa and Argentina in back-to-back Tests last September.

Coach Ewen McKenzie said he is anticipating the match against the Springboks will suit Cooper's game.

"Quade has been contributing well for us playing off the bench," McKenzie told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday.

"Looking at how I want to play this this game, he's ideally suited to start this game."

Cooper said his return to the starting side has shown that hard work pays off.

"You just have to continue to work hard," Cooper said.

"I've been in and around the team for a few weeks coming off the bench. Now that I've been given a role as starting number 10 it's very exciting but Matty [Toomua) and Foles [Bernard Foley] will continue to push each other for the position.'

"If you miss out you just have to continue to help out and push each other

McKenzie said he expects the Springboks' dominant kicking game to play into the hands of Folau who is proving one of the most dangerous ball runners in rugby.

"With a player of his running ability the more times he touches the ball the better it is," McKenzie said.

"We think they'll kick a lot. So if they kick, he gets his hands on the ball and that is good.

"Maybe they won't kick as much, we'll see."

Folau has played his first five Tests for the Wallabies on the wing and isn't fazed by moving into the number 15 jersey where he played most of the Super Rugby season for the Waratahs.

"I think it will be easier to slot into the line at full-back but I don't see too much of a different role.

"I have a lot of good players around me who can help me."

In other changes Nick Cummins of the Western Force has been selected on the wing for his sixth Test for the Wallabies.

Sekope Kepu moves into the starting side at prop after starting the past five Tests on the bench.

Queensland's Jake Schatz has the opportunity to make his Wallabies debut after being selected on the bench.

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