Sam Burgess in new run-in with Australian law: reports

Former England rugby star Sam Burgess was arrested for traffic offences and possible drug use in Australia Monday in his latest run-in with authorities, local media reported.

Burgess, 32, was reportedly pulled over by police while driving down a highway about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Sydney and given a roadside drug test, which he allegedly failed.

Police would only say they stopped a 32-year-old man in the area and took him to a local police station where he was given a second drug test and then arrested for driving without a license in an unregistered car.

Results of the second drug test are pending, they said in a statement.

Police would not confirm the identity of the man, citing privacy rules, but an official noted they would not normally put out a press release concerning a traffic violation if it did not concern a “person of interest”.

The man was released and ordered to appear in court on May 4, police said.

Burgess, a former dual rugby international, is currently on a two-year good behaviour bond after being convicted early this month of intimidating the father of his ex-wife during a confrontation in October 2019.

He is appealing that conviction.

Burgess stepped down last year from roles as a coach of the Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team and a television commentator after police and rugby officials launched investigations into allegations of drug use and domestic violence involving the former player.

He has denied those allegations.

Burgess spent most of his career in Australia with South Sydney while also playing 24 rugby league matches for England.

He also made a brief code-switch, playing five rugby union Tests for England, including at the 2015 World Cup.

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