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The only thing more blinding than Sam Burgess' performance in the NRL grand final on Sunday night was the injury to his right cheekbone, which left him struggling to see out of his swollen eye by the end of the game.
And his herculean-like performance in steering Souths to a 30-6 victory over the Bulldogs has earned him plenty of praise on social media, where he was being compared to The Terminator and Chuck Norris for his tough-as-nails attitude in choosing to play on after fracturing his face in the opening tackle of the game.
"This cheek, it's gone inwards," Burgess said after the game, by which time his eye was blackened and fully closed.
"The doc seems to think I'll need surgery on my face [on Monday]."
Among those heaping praise on the 25-year-old Englishman were sporting identities including Australian Paralympian Kurt Fearnley, English cricketer Stuart Broad, Dally M winner Jarryd Hayne and rugby union player Stephen Hoiles.
How tough is Sam Burgess! Can hardly notice the lump on his face though. pic.twitter.com/5aBDOKr1zj — steve hoiles (@stevehoiles) October 5, 2014
Sam Burgess is practically Chuck Norris.. #NRLGrandFinal — Kurt Fearnley (@kurtfearnley) October 5, 2014
How can Sam Burgess cry through that busted up eye?!?! #NRLGrandFinal #terminator — Kurt Fearnley (@kurtfearnley) October 5, 2014
Freak! Played with a fractured cheek bone. Legendary status also man of the match samburgess http://t.co/d4Fvna7f0H
— jarryd hayne (@jarrydhayne_1) October 5, 2014
Very happy for the Burgess lads winning the Grand Final. @SamBurgess8 see u on the golf course when you get over here (cheekbone permitting)
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) October 5, 2014
Fairfax Media