SAS Australia: Sam Burgess was put through ‘horrendous’ tasks

SAS Australia’s Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham reveals footy star Sam Burgess was put through ‘horrendous’ tasks – but will ‘go far’ in the selection course

Sam Burgess will be put to the test – both mentally and physically – in the highly anticipated second season of SAS: Australia.

And on Thursday, one of the show’s Directing Staff revealed that the former NRL star was put through ‘some horrendous’ tasks on the selection course

Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham told Nova’s Fitzy and Wippa the ex-Rabbitohs star was a ‘good contender’ when the show was filmed in the NSW Blue Mountains. 

Putting him through his paces: SAS Australia’s Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham told Nova’s Fitzy and Wippa show on Thursday that former NRL star Sam Burgess was put through ‘some horrendous’ tasks in the course

Radio host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli noted that Sam had previously shown impressive toughness on the field – particularly when he led the Rabbitohs to victory at the 2014 NRL Grand Final with a broken cheekbone.

‘We know he’s tough, but it’s a mental strength of how much he wants it in that moment, is that right?’ Wippa asked.

‘It comes down to mental strength to be honest. I won’t give too much away, but you’ve named a good one there,’ Billy, a decorated former SAS solider, replied.

He's a contender: Co-host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli noted that Burgess had previously shown incredible displays of strength. The decorated former SAS solider said: I'm not going to give too much away, but you've named a good one there'

He’s a contender: Co-host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli noted that Burgess had previously shown incredible displays of strength. The decorated former SAS solider said: I’m not going to give too much away, but you’ve named a good one there’

Falling in line: Co-host Sarah McGilvray, further pressed and asked if the father-of-two, who shares a son and daughter with ex-wife Phoebe, 'impresses' the directing staff. 'Well nobody impresses us,' Billy laughed, adding, 'but he does as he's told like all of them'

Falling in line: Co-host Sarah McGilvray, further pressed and asked if the father-of-two, who shares a son and daughter with ex-wife Phoebe, ‘impresses’ the directing staff. ‘Well nobody impresses us,’ Billy laughed, adding, ‘but he does as he’s told like all of them’

Co-host Sarah McGilvray then asked Billy, who shares a son and a daughter with his ex-wife Phoebe, if Sam had ‘impressed’ the Directing Staff.

‘Well nobody impresses us,’ Billy laughed, ‘but he does as he’s told like all of them.’

‘He’s a big boy, he’s going to struggle with certain things and we put him through some horrendous tasks,’ he added.

‘I won’t tell you how far he got, but he did well.’

'He's a big boy, he's going to struggle with certain things and we put him through some horrendous tasks,' Billy added about Sam's performance on the course.

Challenging: Billy said of Same, ‘He’s a big boy, he’s going to struggle with certain things and we put him through some horrendous tasks. Billy added about the ex-NRL star’s performance on the course: ‘I won’t tell you how far he got, but he did well’

Billy is returning with fellow DS Jason Fox and Matthew Ollerton and Chief Instructor Ant Middleton for season two of Seven’s SAS Australia. 

The new line-up for the competition features a mixture of famous and controversial participants, including Sam, socialite Brynne Edelsten and TV chef Manu Feildel.

Tennis champion Alicia Molik, Home and Away’s Dan Ewing, actress Bonnie Anderson and former politician Emma Husar are also set to compete on the show.

They're back: Chief Instructor Ant Middleton (right) is returning with his directing staff - Mark (right), Matthew Ollerton (second) and Jason Fox (third) for season two

They’re back: Chief Instructor Ant Middleton (right) is returning with his directing staff – Mark (right), Matthew Ollerton (second) and Jason Fox (third) for season two

They’ll be joined by TV presenter Erin Holland, AFL star Heath Shaw, actress Isabelle Cornish, Olympian Jana Pittman and Australian sprinter Jessica Peris.

The series will also star Ironman Jett Kenny, Olympic runner John Steffensen, volleyball champion Kerri Pottharst, Bra Boy Koby Abberton, singer Pete Murray and tennis star Mark Philippoussis. 

The celebrities will endure strenuous physical activity and military-inspired challenges in order to test their true character.

New cast: Season two's line-up for the military-style competition features a mixture of famous and controversial participants

New cast: Season two’s line-up for the military-style competition features a mixture of famous and controversial participants