Burgess brothers back British Legion '˜Thank You' movement

‘Thank You’ movement.

The England team will wear a special commemorative jersey for the third Test against New Zealand at Elland Road on Remembrance Sunday, November 11, as a show of support for the Royal British Legion.

The England squad will also visit the Western Front in Ypres as part of plans to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War .

George Burgess, a product of the successful Dewsbury Moor amateur club, earned a recall to the England squad for last night’s game against France and a three Test series against New Zealand, after being dropped for the 2017 World Cup and missing this summer’s Test against the Kiwis in Denver through injury.

George said: “It’s a couple of years since I’ve been back to England and a couple of years since I’ve represented England so it’s good to be back in the fold.

“I suppose everything happens for a reason. It wasn’t to be but I went back and trained as hard as I could.

“You’ve just got to cop it sometimes. Some of my form wasn’t up to it in 2017 which was fair enough. Sometimes it’s just good to hear it from a man like Wayne Bennett, it gives you extra motivation to work harder.

“I had a few issues with my body which I got right this year. I feel a lot fitter this year and played all the games.

“I’m looking forward to some good performances against New Zealand.

“We’ve been training together for the last few days as a team. A fair few of the boys won’t have played for a few weeks so it will be good to blow a few cobwebs off.”

The Royal British Legion is running a mass movement to say ‘Thank You’ to all who served, sacrificed, and changed the world during the First World War – honouring the 1.1 million British and Commonwealth Armed Forces who lost their lives and those who played their part on the home front.

The one-off England shirt features the poppy as well as the “Thank You 1918-2018” logo, with £5 from the sale of each jersey going to the RBL.

A limited number of shirts will available to purchase from shop.rugby-league.com from November 5 and will be on sale at the games against New Zealand at Anfield on November 4 and Elland Road on November 11.

Jamie Peacock, the former England and Great Britain captain who is now team manager, said: “The sport of Rugby League, and the England team, are proud to be associated with the courage and sacrifices of our Armed Forces, never more so than this year as we commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War.

“We will be visiting the Western Front as a squad next weekend to reinforce that message ahead of the Test series against New Zealand, and I know the players will be proud to wear the poppy and to support the Royal British Legion’s Thank You movement on Remembrance Sunday.”

Dewsbury twins Tom and George Burgess, now play for South Sydney, launched the shirt with Peacock at the Imperial War Museum in Salford on Monday ahead of last night’s clash against France in Leigh.