Retired Wallaby Adam Freier says Sam Burgess took the easy option by returning to the NRL instead of staying with English rugby club Bath and seeing out his contract.

“I think he would have been incredible in rugby union if he stayed with the game,” Freier told sportsfan.com.au.

“He went over there to try and win a World Cup, he didn’t get it and the easy option (was) to go back to the Rabbitohs.

“Lote Tuqiri was fantastic (in union), he wasn’t fantastic in his first year, but he stuck it out, same with Big Del (Wendell Sailor).

“Mat Rogers was a freak in rugby union, but he wasn’t when he first got there.

“He hung around and played in a World Cup final, he lost the World Cup final and he could have gone back (but he didn’t).”