Changing room chat: Crowe shows that Mum's the word

Published on Tuesday 27 October 2009 21:05

RUGBY League player Sam Burgess has shed light on his face-to-face meeting with Russell Crowe and reveals the movie star clinched his signature for South Sydney after charming his mum.

The 20-year-old England forward sparked furious transfer activity among leading NRL clubs when he made public his desire to play in Australia and Crowe, who has a controlling interest in Souths, was one of the first on the phone. Crowe was in England at the time, filming for a new Robin Hood movie, and, at his invitation, Burgess met the Hollywood actor in his trailer on the set in Derbyshire and took his mother along for the ride.

"She is a big fan of his and begged me to take her down," he explains, "so I took her down for the day and she enjoyed it.

"She was a bit star-struck at the time but he's a down-to-earth guy and he brought her round. It was pretty surreal, meeting an A-list celebrity. When he phoned, I thought it was my mate, Glen Morrison, winding me up.

"But it was nice to meet him. He's a humble bloke and he likes rugby league."