Sam Burgess hailed 'a true hero' for saving a man's life after he started choking on seafood

Burgess joined his South Sydney Rabbitohs team-mates at the Sydney Fish Markets when a staff member started to choke on a piece of seafood

South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess (Getty Images)

Sam Burgess has been hailed “a true hero” for saving a man’s life after he began choking in a Sydney fish market.

Burgess, who returned to Australia and rugby league late in 2015 after failing to make an impact on rugby union following a poor Rugby World Cup for England, was attending a team meal with the rest of the South Sydney Rabbitohs squad at Sydney Fish Markets.

The 27-year-old was taking part in a fish-eating challenge with the Souths squad members and one of the staff working at the fish market decided to join in. But when the restaurant manager started to choke on a piece of the seafood, Burgess is said to have immediately run over to him and try and dislodge his blocked throat.

One witness told foxsports.com.au: "The Souths boys were at work doing a fish-eating challenge and then one of the managers got involved.

"They were eating and some seafood got caught in his throat and he started choking. Sam raced straight over and grabbed him and started putting his body weight on him to try and get it out.

"He was helping him for about 30 to 40 seconds and instead of spitting it out he ended up swallowing it, but if Sam hadn’t have helped it could have been bad.

"I'm telling you Sam is a hero."

It was added that Burgess was not the only Souths member to rush to the choking staff member’s aid, but it was the cross-code England international who ultimately saved his life by clearing his airway.

"He saved his life. Another 30 seconds and it could have gone either way,” the witness added.

"All the guys were amazing. Taking photos with people. [Souths coach] Michael Maguire was great and I’m a Manly fan but it’s important people know what a great thing Sam did."

Burgess returned to rugby league after agreeing to leave Bath in November 2015, less than a week after the conclusion of the Rugby World Cup in which his selection attracted widespread criticism given England’s pool stage exit.

The former Bradford Bull is set to play in the 2016 All Stars match for the World All Stars against the Indigenous All Stars on 13 February, with his brother and Souths team-mate Tom Burgess also selected.